Crowds of people took to the streets of West End, Lincoln for a one-night-only walking tour of Christmas lights.

The front garden and windows of a house decorated for West End Lights

The West End Lights project took place on Friday, December 2, with over 35 families decorating the front of their houses with videos, art and light displays.

Locals and visitors can follow a map around West End, with St Faiths Church hosting warm food and drinks as a stopping point mid-way.

Created solely by volunteers and residents, the West End Lights began in December 2010, when heavy snow had temporarily closed the streets to traffic.

Nine houses had taken on the role of illuminator in 2010 as a community project, before expanding to 26 volunteers in 2011.

Local resident poses in front of window

Themes for this year’s lights included The Stables at Christmas, West End Dogs and A Space Odyssey, among many others.

St Faith’s offered free popcorn, hotdogs, tea, and live music to people on the walking tour, as well as decorating with candles and a lit Christmas tree.

Reverend Ben Brady, who put together the church celebration of the West End Lights, said: “We want people to feel welcome and at home, and to add more to their journey around the West End Lights. We just believe in good hospitality.”

Mads Baker, the 18-25’s pastor for St Faith’s, said: “We’ve opened up our doors so the community can come into the church building.

Festivities at St Faith’s Church

“The West End feels like its own family, in a sense. This is an opportunity for the community to do what it does best: to be family to one another, to be friends to one another, and to see all ages and stages and demographics come together and celebrate the real meaning of Christmas.”

The first stop on the East of the map began on The Avenue, spread as far North as Queen’s Cresent, and ended in the West at Hewson Road.