Stoke Poges family have one of the UK's 'most festive homes'

A Stoke Poges man has finished second in a national competition which aimed to find the most festive homes in the UK.

Chris Benians, from Pennylets Green, scooped runner-up in the contest organised by property search website Zoopla throughout December.

His design is an ‘elf village’, complete with a miniature train set among a snowy scene which also features houses for the elves and a campfire.

The train within Chris’ display runs every dry day and the entire creation will be available to view until Wednesday, January 5.

“We get so many amazing notes and messages about our display. Smiles and pleasure is the reason we do it,” he said.

“We have been doing it now for about five years – we cleared out the front and I said [to my daughter] ‘I will build you something for Christmas’, and she wanted an elf village.

“Every year it seems to get bigger, and last year during lockdown I was not working so I had a bit of time on my hands and built some mini houses around the village.”

Chris said that he only entered the Zoopla competition after somebody suggested it to him.

He added: “I did not know anything about it – we get letters and notes through the door and someone had put a card through and asked if I knew about it, so I entered.”

Chris said that the display is just something that he does each year to help bring a smile to the faces of passers-by.

“I get everyone from a 99-year-old man to people with pushchairs. It Is all about putting smiles on people’s faces,” he said.