Meet Telford pub couple who don't buy each other Christmas gifts and instead spend thousands spreading joy

Landlord at The Miners Arms in Madeley, Kris Haynes, is once again decorating his popular pub with lights and inflatables, transforming the space into a winter wonderland.

But, in addition to the Christmas decorations, Kris and his wife Jenni will again give up buying each other gifts and instead use the money they would have spent to purchase presents and offer them to families who may be struggling.

Moreover, the pub's Christmas extravaganza also features a Santa's grotto where children can post a letter to Father Christmas using their special letterbox. Out of their own pockets, Kris and his wife then donate £10 to the NSPCC who organise for a personalised letter to be sent back from Father Christmas for each child.

Located St Mary's Catholic Primary School, the pub's lights and Christmas display - featuring an 18ft blow-up Grinch - are extremely popular amongst pupils, while residents are encouraged to, and often do, stop by for a picture. And what's best is the decorations aren't finished yet.

Speaking on the decorations, which take Kris and his wife around three weeks to set up, the Miners Arms landlord said: "It stems from when I was growing up. My parents worked two jobs but couldn't really afford to go mad with decorations. As a kid we always drove around the streets looking for places like this that were fully lit up and looked nice.

"Since then as I have got older I have realised that a lot of people can't afford to go mad, especially as it is so expensive. I spend around £2,000 on our decorations.

"It's nice as we are right next to a school, so you get lots of children walking past having pictures with the Grinch and blow-up snowman.

"The amount of people that come with their kids to see it lit up at nighttime is amazing. I mainly do it for them. It's the one time that kids have got to be happy in my opinion."

He and his wife have kept their good work to share Christmas joy quiet in recent years, but this year the duo are starting to spread the word, and are looking to help as many people as they can. 

"We don't buy for each other," Kris added. "We use that money that we would have spent on each other and go to the shops and buy loads of presents for all age ranges, boys and girls, and we wrap them up and reach out to the local community and say 'we know times are hard with the cost of living'. 

"All kids deserve to have a smile on their face at Christmas day so we say people are more than welcome to come in before the pub is open, take some presents and get them under the tree."

About the postbox where children can send their letters to Santa, Kris said: "It's a bit of a double whammy. The kids are massively happy because they have had a letter back from Santa and at the same time we are supporting another charity."