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A quaint Somerset pub – heralded to be one of the most festive in the world – will be lighting up for Christmas once again in aid of charity.

The Queen Victoria Inn in Priddy, run by Mark Walton and wife Debs, will be covered with more than 55,000 lights for the big switch on this Friday (December 6).

Mark, who has run the pub for 14 years, and a team of volunteers spend hours covering the cosy, country pub in lights ready for the event.

As well as the lights, other features of the eye-catching festive display include a 16ft ‘wine bottle’ tree.

The intricate frame of the tree was made by Ben Selway, with a staggering 1103 empty bottles of wine – all drank at the pub over the year – attached to it.

This year will also see the giant 26ft snowman, also made by Ben and covered with a further 2,500 wine bottles, erected outside the inn.

"There’s not much of the building that hasn’t got a light on it,” said landlord Mark.

“We spend a lot of time up a ladder in the days before the big switch on.”

This year there will also be a new festive motif on the pub.

But the details will be kept a closely guarded secret and only unveiled at the big switch on.

“Every year we try to add something new to the display,” said Mark.

“And this year will be no different, but people will have to wait until the night to see what we have planned.”

The display attracts thousands of people to Priddy over the festive period with people travelling from right across the UK to see Mark and his team’s handiwork. 

“I love Christmas,” said grandfather of nine Mark

“It’s such a special time of year.

“And although the exterior display is pretty expansive, we do decorate slightly more subtly inside.”

In the past Mark and his team turned the pub – once voted among the best 10 Christmas displays in the world - into a Gingerbread House for Christmas.

The team cladded the old stone building with wood – with the design attracting fans and interest from across the globe.

Mark and his team have also built an illuminated ‘Polar Express’ train which sat outside the pub.

The pub will also be organising its annual Santa Run on December 15.

The festive event will see runners following a 5 or 10 mile course around The Mendips.

The run, now in its third year, sets off at 11am from the pub, with entrants returning to the Queen Vic to finish.

This year’s festive illuminations and Santa Run will be raising money for Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW), a cause which Mark and Debs have supported for several years.

Those visiting the pub to see the lights will be able to make a donation in one of the collecting buckets or tins or donate using a QR code on show at the hostelry.

Mark and the team has raised more than £25,000 for the charity over the years and are hoping this year will be a bumper collection.

“When the lights are switched on at the Queen Vic, it’s the claxon that Christmas has begun in Priddy,” said Mark.

“Christmas is all about children and when you see what incredible work CHSW does with young people and their families, it spurs us all on to make the display bigger and better each year and raise as much money as possible.”

Area Fundraiser Kylie Gallagher said: “ We are so grateful to have the continued support of this popular and well loved local Christmas lights switch on.

“A huge thanks must go, as always, to Mark, Debs, Dave and all involved in making this happen, including friends, staff and people volunteering their time working hard to get it all together the week before and the three weeks the display will run.

“We are looking forward to joining them on the night of the big switch on.”

The switch on takes place at 6pm.

There will be live music from Ryan Haynes from 5.30pm-8pm.

Food will also be available along with a cosy fire to warm visitors from the cold.

The lights are switched on between 4pm-9pm each night in December and switched off on New Year’s Eve.

Entry to the Santa Run is £10 and those wanting to sign up can find out more on the Queen Victoria’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/queenvicpriddy.