FESTIVE fever is in the air in Wollaston - with residents in the country's most Christmassy street counting down the days to December 25.

People living in Leonard Road have been busy for the last few weeks decking their homes and gardens with giant Santa and snowmen statues as well as hundreds of thousands of festive fairy lights.

This year's seasonal 'Stourbridge Illuminations' spectacle, which will be switched-on on Thursday December 1, will again raise money for the Georgina Unit at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.

Last year's efforts raked in more than £52,000 to provide valuable equipment for leukaemia patients, and the year before that a worthy £47,000 was raised.

Resident's spokesman Cliff Buckley said: "We hope to raise as much as possible - the charity means a lot to us."

Glittering

He said many families have been busy for the last few weeks trying to turn the street into a glittering winter wonderland for the seventh year running.

But there are bound to be a few last minute new-for-this-year surprise additions to wow the thousands of visitors that flock to the event each year.

Following the popular switch-on ceremony, the lights will be turned on nightly throughout the festive season until January 6.