For one County Durham family a tea-lit Jack-o'-lantern on the doorstep just isn’t enough when it comes to celebrating Halloween.

Instead, the Stonebanks don their home in Hunwick, near Bishop Auckland, with thousands of lights and put on impressive displays attracting hundreds of visitors.

Planning for the Halloween spooktacular, now in its third year, begins in April with more than £2,000 worth of techy kit powering it.

Visitors can expect stunning light shows to the tune of spooky classics including a Ghostbusters remix and Thriller.

The Northern Echo: The house is covered with thousands of lights programmed to spooky hits.The house is covered with thousands of lights programmed to spooky hits. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Brad Stonebanks, who got the idea from 15-year-old daughter Megan, told the Echo: “Megan was watching videos on YouTube of American houses doing these light shows and said, ‘can we have a go?’.

“We bought a few little bits, and it was one of those things where you try to get it to work and can’t, but I had another try and it worked.”

Despite having no experience, Brad, 50, has taught himself how to programme the lights using software like that used in TV studios, on stage, and at concerts.

He designs each light show to music using his computer which shows him a CGI version of how it will look on his home. He then runs it for real on his house from a mini Raspberry Pi computer.

The Northern Echo: Brad Stonebanks with daughter Megan, 15, who kicked off the family's Halloween spooktacular after watching videos on YouTube three years ago.Brad Stonebanks with daughter Megan, 15, who kicked off the family's Halloween spooktacular after watching videos on YouTube three years ago. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“There’s a lot of time goes into it and we start looking at songs in about April or May. It takes about 10 or 11 hours to make each sequence,” Sky engineer Brad continued.

“This year we’ve got 11 songs and the display lasts about 27 minutes.”

It may look expensive, but the display costs only £10 to run with the energy efficient lights running at just 20% of their full brightness.

“When you work out the power consumption I dare say you’d use more electric boiling the kettle and running the oven for half an hour,” Brad said.

The Northern Echo: Brad says the display doesn't send utility bills soaring, despite being powered by more than £2,000 worth of kit.Brad says the display doesn't send utility bills soaring, despite being powered by more than £2,000 worth of kit. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Those wishing to catch a glimpse will have just five days to see the display. It will run at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm from Friday (October 27) to Monday (October 30), and continuously from 5.30pm on Halloween itself (October 31).

It can be found on Oakfields, Hunwick, County Durham.

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Visitors are asked to make any donation they can to local charity Bringing Back A Smile, which helps adults and kids with life-threatening illnesses.

Last year the display raised about £1,500, and the Stonebanks are hoping to make more this time around.

Despite the success of the Halloween display the Stonebanks have no plans at the moment to do the same at Christmas with Brad joking he wouldn’t have to work if he had a pound every time he was asked to do a festival show.