WINNERS of Upwell s Christmas Lights competition were presented with their awards by the parish council. Kate Cobley, the clerk, said the council wanted to thank all the parishioners who put up lights. The villages of Upwell, Three Holes and Lakesend we

WINNERS of Upwell's Christmas Lights competition were presented with their awards by the parish council.

Kate Cobley, the clerk, said the council wanted to thank all the parishioners who put up lights.

"The villages of Upwell, Three Holes and Lakesend were most festively decorated again this year and the judges had their work cut out for them picking winners for each category," she said.

The results of the 2006 Christmas Lights Competition were as follows:

Upwell

Winners :Mr & Mrs M. Plaice; Runners Up, Mr & Mrs D. Smith; Highly Commended, Mr & Mrs M. Smith,Mr & Mrs L. Manning, Mr & Mrs P. Eggleton

Three Holes & Lakesend

Winners, Mr & Mrs T. Connor and Mr & Mrs B. Wakefield; Runners Up, Mr D & Mr J. Ward;Highly Commended, Mr & Mrs N. McGregor, Mr & Mrs E. Manning

Businesses

Winners, Mr G. Harnwell;Runners Up, Mr & Mrs A. Hurst; Highly Commended, Mrs R. Pritchard.

Ms Cobley said: "A special mention goes out to the residents of Cock Fen Road, Lakesend; Baptist Road, Upwell and the council houses in Small Lode, Upwell - all of whom put on fantastic displays."

Runners Up in the Three Holes and Lakesend category, Jamie and Daryl Ward, decorated their house and garden to raise money for MAGPAS - the emergency medical charity. The two teenagers from Lakesend have been fundraising since Christmas 2005 and raised £785 from 'wishing well' donations and a grand raffle, which saw prizes donated by local businesses.

Jamie and Daryl have raised £3000 for the charity over the past twelve months. They have organised charity Bingo events, run 10K road races and light their home for Christmas, inviting members of the public to visit and make a donation. They are planning a winter wonderland extravaganza at their Lakesend home this year, where there will be somewhere in the region of £2000 worth of Christmas lights decorating their house and garden.

Daryl is also training to become a MAGAPS 'Community First Responder'. He will be on call to deliver emergency first aid to residents in the community in a scheme aiming to cut deaths in rural communities by providing life saving treatment to the critically ill in the first few minutes prior to the arrival of an ambulance. The service is entirely staffed by volunteers and relies on public donations.