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Worthing Christmas lover unveils huge collection in his spare bedroom

For 20 years, Wilf Brooks has been amassing a trove of Christmas treasures – and he has finally decided to share it with Worthing.

The 75-year-old from 2 Offington Avenue will be opening his doors to members of the public who would like to see it throughout December from 6pm to 9pm. His spare bedroom has been filled with hundreds of bits of yuletide paraphernalia, including a vintage Japanese bauble and a Christmas tree from before the First World War. The retired flight simulator manufacturer employee said: “I can’t get it all in this room. It’s all in the loft, and I had to get a shed to put it in. Normally I just do this for friends and relatives, but my son-in-law said I’ve got to send this to the papers and get people in. No-one in Worthing will have seen anything like this.” He said his crowning glory was a German Father Christmas candy container from 1912 that he bought on a trip to the country 18 years ago. “I should think he was worth hundreds of pounds now,” Wilf said. Other highlights included a musical rotating Christmas tree from Germany dating from 1904 and an Australian Christmas pudding in a tin from the 1930s. The Christmas connoisseur is also well-known for the festive lights and decorations he covers his house in, having raised more than £5,000 for charity in the process. He will be switching these on on December 5. Donations to see the collection will go to St Barnabas House hospice. To visit, call Wilf on 01903 830 517 or knock on his door.