A famous ‘winter wonderland’ house in Tameside has managed to raise thousands of pounds for charity after only being set up for just a week.
It’s the house seen all across Greater Manchester.
And not just because it’s been festooned from top to bottom with some of the most spectacular Christmas lights and decorations you’ll ever see, but because it’s also gone viral online, racking up thousands of views, interactions and comments from admirers all over the region.
The house on Baroness Road in Audenshaw has certainly been drawing the crowds in over the past week, and it’s all been for a very worthy cause too.
Jamie Stirling has been putting lights outside his, now famous, home to celebrate the festive season for the last three years, but thought that this Christmas, after what has been a year like no other, the decorating should be taken to the next level.
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And that’s exactly what he did.
Included in the collection of decorations this year are more than 20,000 twinkling lights, traditional bells and ribbons, a gigantic inflatable Santa, and even a twelve-foot Christmas tree complete with candy canes for visiting children to take home with them.
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Ice skating penguins also take up the driveway, and a family of reindeer are found in the front garden.
What’s more is that, as well as the traditional decorations, a letterbox on the side of the house also means children can post their letters to Santa – and every single one gets a personal reply too.
Speaking on this year’s festivities, Jamie said: “It’s been getting more popular every year but with lockdown I wanted something for the families and kids to enjoy. If we’re all going to be locked down, then we may as well just have a walk around and enjoy some Christmas decorations.”
“I’ve had people come down from Liverpool, Ramsbottom, Swinton, and Bury,” he said. “People have been driving a good distance to come and see it.”
The decadent display is thought to have cost near to £4,000 to put together, but according to Jamie, it’s money well spent, and it’s money he’s making it back in the name of charity too, as he’s already raised £2,000 that will go towards the region’s struggling families.
“We’ve really put some thought into it this year as we’re raising money for charity,” Jamie said.
“It’s had hundreds of shares and thousands of likes on Facebook and I’ve been contacted by local media [so] the general response has been really good [and] people have told us it’s great what we’re doing and it’s nice to see,
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“It makes it feel like a normal Christmas despite no one doing anything with the lockdown.”
He continued: Last year, people were trying to donate and I hadn’t even thought about trying to raise money, so this year we’ve decided to do a fundraiser for Wood Street’s Christmas appeal, for toys for struggling families [as] we thought it would be nice to do donations for them with lockdown bringing all the problems everyone’s going through.”
Gemma Quinton / Sunflower Daze Photography
All donations before 9th December will be contributed directly to Wood Street Mission, and the remaining funds raised after that cut-off date will go towards the similar initiative – Hits Radio’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas appeal.
“We’ve been really surprised with the donations – we didn’t set a specific target but thought that £500 would be brilliant and then within a week we’d hit £2,000,
“It’s been a really big success – really good.”
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And this success of the decorations and donations has already got Jamie thinking forward to what he can do to make sure 2021 is even better still.
“It’s definitely been worth it,” he explained, “everyone’s been calling it ‘the Christmas house’ and asking if it’s going to be a yearly thing and I’ve thought with this year’s success, I’ll definitely bring it back and already have plans for next year,”
“The amount of people turning up just to see it shows how it’s worked really well for everyone,
“I’m really pleased.”
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‘Hairy men’ needed to play soldiers in returning major fantasy TV series
Thomas Melia
A huge TV series has issued an urgent casting call for, very specifically, ‘hairy men’ to play soldiers.
The exact show hasn’t been named in the casting call, but it’s definitely a major returning fantasy, and is reportedly House of the Dragon, the hit Game of Thrones spin-off.
This big on demand show is set to start filming in just two months’ time, meaning anyone considering shouldn’t wait to apply.
There are a list of key characteristics candidates should have if hoping for this role, including a great work ethic and a professional attitude, something all Mancs like to think we have.
The job description states that no prior acting experience is required, one of the only other things you need to be good at is waking up early (well that’s me out).
Most importantly, headhunters are looking for individuals to take on that have one big factor in common… lots of hair.
On the official website where you can submit your headshots and photos, you will find a mood board filled with ranging hairstyles that fit the desired look the show is going for.
Just one example of a long-haired man who fits the criteria for the returning series.Another similar hair style choice to the guide from the casting call.Credit via Unsplash
Most of the pictures on the site range from long curly locks to big bushy beards – it’s a shame Santa will be back in the North Pole by now.
All candidates must have grown-out hair, ‘overgrown scruff to longer beards’, this means no short, back and sides, or any ‘modern fades’ as stated by the casting team.
If the rumours are true and this turns out to be a shoot for House Of The Dragon, it would be great to see even more Northern talent feature in this show.
It wasn’t too long ago that fans and Mancs alike realised that actor Olivia Cooke, who plays Lady Alicent Hightower, was a local lass herself, born not too far away in Oldham.
One final and important note is that anyone who is likely to apply must make sure they’re 18+ and have a right to work in the UK.
Filming will take place across North Wales and the South East from March onwards, with rate of pay roughly £140-£300+ per day (depending on hours worked).
To apply for a chance to feature in the returning major fantasy series, you can do so by visiting the site HERE.
Greater Manchester set to be battered by ‘impactful’ heavy rain and wind this week
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester is set to be battered by some heavy rain and wind this week, according to the Met Office.
While things have seemed surprisingly more settled for the time of year over the last week or so, with clearer skies and chilly winter mornings being fairly commonplace, all that will change very soon, as the Met Office has forecasted that the UK is set to be battered by some ‘impactful’ heavy rain and strong winds as the week goes on.
Low pressure systems will bring a more ‘unsettled’ spell of weather, with a severe weather warning for wind issued for certain parts of the UK.
Today is expected to be filled with grey skies and light rain here in Greater Manchester, with cloud covering much of the rest of the country, and other outbreaks of rain elsewhere, whereas on Wednesday, the focus of rain will shift to southern England instead.
The weather looks set to turn more unsettled during the forthcoming week 🌧️ 🌬️
Thursday is where it’s set to take the biggest downturn though, as a front bringing heavy rain moves eastwards through the day, and it’s us here in North West England that are expected to see the highest accumulations too, with 20-30mm could falling over the hills, and some hill snow even possible over the Scottish mountains too.
A deep area of low pressure will also have ‘deepened rapidly’ by Thursday, bringing ‘strengthening winds’ to western parts of the UK along with it overnight, followed by more heavy rainfall.
Greater Manchester is set to be battered by ‘impactful’ heavy rain and wind this week / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“A very deep area of low pressure will bring a very unsettled, potentially disruptive, spell of weather to the UK through Friday and into Saturday,” explained Chris Almond, who is the Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist.
“Winds will begin to strengthen on Thursday night, with the peak gusts forecast through Friday in Northern Ireland and western Scotland. The wind will also be accompanied by heavy rain bringing some unpleasant conditions to end the week.
“We have issued a Yellow weather warning for wind, and with several days before the impactful weather, the forecast details are likely to be fine-tuned during the week, so stay tuned to your local forecast and keep up to date with Met Office warnings.”
Emily Sergeant -
4th December 2020 
