Newmarket teenager Liam Collis lights up for cancer care

A Newmarket teenager hopes money raised by the display of Christmas lights at his family’s home will also help brighten the lives of people with cancer.

Liam Collis has installed lights all over the front, side, roof and garden of the house in Brickfields Avenue where he lives with his mum Mandy, stepfather Toby Wingfield and elder sister Melissa.

It is the fourth year running that 19-year-old Liam has lit up his neighbourhood to raise money for charity. Last Christmas his efforts saw £1,500 go to Children With Cancer UK and Liam hopes this year’s lights will make even more.

Already he has collected £430 in donations for his 2018 charity from the big crowd who turned up for the switch on, which was carried out by Paul Stearn, Liam’s boss at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he works as a gardener.

“I’ve chosen to support Breast Cancer Care because my grandmother Ivy Wingfield has been battling breast cancer this year and has survived so I want to help others with the disease,” said Liam.

The former Newmarket Academy student has been preparing the display after work every night since November 1 and says it is ‘bigger and better’ than ever. He hopes people passing by or those who make a special trip to see the lights will stop at the house to give a donation and make his efforts worthwhile.