Three charities have shared an incredible £8,500 thanks to the efforts of Poole’s most festive residents.

Over the past 26 years, Runton Road in Branksome has built a reputation for the area’s best Christmas illuminations, with a dazzling display that can be seen from half a mile away.

The event proves a big money-spinner for local charities, but last Christmas proved incredibly successful, raising twice as much as the year before.

The displays at nine homes raised £3,600 for Julia’s House and almost £2,500 each for Forest Holme and Diverse Abilities Plus.

Mick Phillips, who organises the event, said: “It’s an incredible total and one that I can only put down to my impromptu ‘twerking’ performance on Christmas Eve. There’s always a real party atmosphere on Christmas Eve and once I’ve had a few drinks, I’m up for anything.

“We’re so pleased. On our Facebook page today we have received 1,000 likes and over 100 comments in just a day for people saying how we make their Christmas. It makes it all worthwhile because it is a lot of effort. Sometimes you are pleased when it is all over.”

He said the charities’ representatives were thrilled with the bumper total and said they would be illuminating Poole once again this year.

“We’ll start thinking about it all again in November,” he said. “It’s quite an operation, myself, my son-in-law and my grandson get everything out the garage and start testing everything to see what works.

“The decorations take about eight hours to put up and three hours to take down but it’s worth it to raise so much for charity.”