A family that has helped make Mawnan Smith sparkle with their festive decorations have become the first winners of a Christmas lights competition.

The Time to Light Up competition was organised by the village’s Christmas lights committee, which also judged it for this first year.

It was designed to encourage people in the area to light up their properties and gardens, to add to the village display created by the Mawnan Lighting Committee.

The judges, who described it as “a very difficult task” due to the high standard, went with a majority vote that made the winners the Dixon-Phillip family of Carwinion Road.

They said they were delighted to have been selected, adding: “This year’s lights across numerous locations have added a touch of real sparkle to the whole village and the lighting committee should be really proud of their achievement.

“The real winners are the Mawnan Lighting Committee for making the whole village literally light up for Christmas.”

The family received a prize hamper full of Cornish food, which was presented by some of the committee members Beth Lawry, Penny Salisbury, Benita Payne and Annie Sibbert.