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Bright lights to remember Joshua

23/12/2002

No-one will be able to pass Melanie Hall's Little Hulton home without admiring the Christmas decorations adorning the house.

But few realise the sad tale behind the snowmen, lights and life-size models of Santa Claus.

Eight years ago her 14-month-old son Joshua died from an epileptic fit on Boxing Day. And although Christmas has not been the easiest time for Melanie ever since, she has eased the burden by putting up the decorations as a yuletide tribute to him.

The decorations first went up outside her Seddon Street home in 1996, two years after Joshua's death. This has continued every year since, with the number of decorations gradually increasing until they now cover the entire house.

And no-one likes the decorations more than her three young sons, Jacob, aged six, five-year-old Camron and 16-month-old Colbie.

Last week, somebody walked past the house and slashed one of the 8ft snowmen - but it was patched up again within minutes.

Melanie told The Advertiser: "It hurts on Christmas day because you can't give him anything, but this makes it a bit easier. It's really nice now my other kids are a bit older and their friends walk by and they say this is for our brother.

"I pointed to a star and told them Joshua is up there in the sky and when we do this he lights up a bit more. When the kids went to school they were talking about people slashing the snowman, but a lot of people don't know why I'm doing this.

"Some people come up to me and say is it a competition to get better decorations than your neighbours and I say no, we've done ours for a reason."