New Northampton cul-de-sac pals put on festive light display in time for Christmas

The story of Buckingham Close all started when June Fairlay reached out to her neighbours in East Hunsbury to involve them in a Whatsapp group during the first lockdown.

"I wanted to get a Whatsapp group together and I thought that only a couple of houses would join in and we got about 15 involved," June said.

June is quite a new face to the close, only having lived there for two years, and she wanted to get to know her neighbours and offer them a helping hand as the UK was made to stay indoors.

She added: "It was absolutely amazing in the first lockdown people were soon shopping for each other and one lady was making cakes and putting them on people's doorsteps.

"And, on VE Day, my partner is a DJ, and we put a big sound system on the close, with food."

This Christmas, the newly found friends decided to get together again and decorate their homes.

"People often walk by with their dogs and talk about it because it's so wonderful to look at," June added.

"I think this is a nice story to show how people have come together during these times, especially as we are all different age groups and have different family structures.

"We had a new person who moved in about one month ago and they have joined in with us, it's so lovely."

On Sunday, the cul-de-sac is going to start singing together as part of their Christmas caroling, which will put a smile on the face of one of their elderly residents in his nineties.

"Although there were pockets of people who knew of each other before, nobody really knew anyone on the street and it's brought us all together so much.

"We made a massive fuss of one of the residents who came back from uni and had her 21st birthday earlier this year.

"We sang her happy birthday to her and left presents for her on her car."

Residents Hannah and Darren Jones went the extra mile and built a Christmas truck for their toddler, Ava, which is displayed in the front garden along with a Christmas tree.

Hannah, who paid thanks to June for getting everyone together, said: "I think after the year that we have had the lights really symbolise how close we are as a community. Everyone has really rallied round and come together to make something nice to come home to.

"The Christmas spirit is in full swing here and we have gone all out really. Quite a few people have been walking and driving around, which is a lovely sentiment in its own right.

"It's bringing so much joy to people, I wish we could keep them up for a bit longer."