A 10-year old boy with Type 1 diabetes is the inspiration behind a house spectacularly lit with decorative Christmas lights.

The Comet: Kerrie Dommett and her family at her Aunt Lynda Chapman's house who are also raising money for charity with their Christmas light displayKerrie Dommett and her family at her Aunt Lynda Chapman's house who are also raising money for charity with their Christmas light display (Image: Archant)

Brave Joshua Silman from Hitchin has an insulin pump permanently attached to him, so decided last year he wanted to raise money for a cause close to his heart – the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Joshua, who attends Highover School in the town, has once again put up festive lights on the outside of his home in Sturgeon’s Way – with a little help from mum Kerrie Dommett, dad Stephen Silman and his six-year-old sister Iole.

Mum Kerrie said: “We’ve put our lights up every year for the past five or six years – and it just keeps getting bigger.

“So this year we decided that we’d try and raise money for a good cause while making the house look festive.

“Joshua has been so brave. We estimate that he has had at least 8,212 injections of insulin in his life, along with 19,710 finger prick tests.

“We raised £300 last year for the JDRF and had hoped to better it this year – but we had to delay turning on the lights due to the high winds in early December which meant we’re behind schedule in terms of fundraising. However we still hope to smash last year’s total.

“Joshua and Iole love the lights as it makes them feel very festive – although I have to say my husband was the driving force behind it all!”

Meanwhile, on the other side of town in Milestone Road, Kerrie’s uncle and aunt, Ken and Lynda Chapman, have also been busy putting up Christmas decorations on the outside of their house for charity – this time for Keech Hospice Care.

Mrs Chapman said: “My daughter, Nichola Lightfoot, is a children’s nurse and does a lot of cancer care work. We’ve put up lights for many years and we thought we’d raise money for Keech. Children love the lights and it’s all for a great cause.”

To donate to each cause visit www.justgiving.com/Kerrie-dommett1 and www.justgiving.com/Christmas-lightsforkeech.