A BOURNEMOUTH dad has transformed his house into a winter wonderland to raise money for charity Help for Heroes.

Kind-hearted Lee Alcorn, 23, has been stringing festive lights up for more than two months now to ensure his home would be ready for Christmas.

And it will light up each night from 5.30pm until 8.30pm, after which it will fall back into darkness so children in the street can get to sleep.

Self-employed Lee said: “I just wanted to do something that would raise as much money as possible for Help for Heroes.

“The first night the lights went on, I raised £57, so I really hope people carry on coming to visit and putting some money in the bucket.”

Lee said he comes from a festive family, and follows the traditions set by his dad, who always covered the house in lights for the season.

“Last year I put loads of lights up for my daughter’s first Christmas,” he said.

“She’s absolutely loving it – she likes to sit and watch the lights twinkle. It makes it special. This year, I thought I’d like to raise some money, and my other half’s family are big supporters of Help for Heroes. When I asked what charity I should donate to, they said Help for Heroes straight away.”

Lee, of Luckham Place in Charminster, used more than six crates of lights to decorate his home – before realising he needed more to “fill in the gaps”.

He said: “I started putting them all up in September and I just finished last Sunday.

“I was doing it on weekends, in my spare time after work, any time I could get. I just wanted it to look nice.”

Lee admitted that his neighbours think he’s “nuts”, adding: “I initially wanted to have them on until 10pm every night, but they’re so bright that I’ve had to bring that back to 8.30pm.

“But it’s been really popular and I’m glad people are happy.”