Passers-by pull up and say, 'Thanks a lot, pal... now I have to do it too!'

DIY SOS star Nick Knowles has put his skills to use to make sure his house 'is lit up like a traffic light', reflecting a love for Christmas that started with homemade decorations

- Hannah Britt

NICK Knowles has spent his career putting smiles on people's faces by transforming their homes - and now he's doing it again, but with his own house.

The DIY SOS presenter, 63, has maxed out on the festive lights at his home.

He says: "We've had decorations up since early November. We live on a normal street in a normal sort of house and I've got a 16ft inflatable Christmas teddy bear in the front garden. I've gone crazy.

"There's lights all over the house, I've done an archway around the door.

"We've got lights all the way along the eaves. It looks more like an American Christmas house than a British Christmas house, lit up like a traffic light."

Reactions, he admits, have been mixed.

He says: "We get grinchy older people saying, 'I think it's a bit showy, don't you?'

"I've also had a bunch of blokes pull up and say, 'Thanks a lot pal, now my wife's seen this I'm going to have to do it too'.

"But it's bringing most people a lot of joy. Some children have even been walking a different way home from school just so they can see it.

"We had a bus pull up to the house, too. I don't live anywhere near a bus stop!"

Born on a council estate in Southall, West London, Nick always loved Christmas.