They’ve fought cancer together and now they’re enlisting the help of their neighbours to raise money to continue the fight against the disease.

Pat and Kevin Green staged a switch-on event at their illuminated home in Oak Drive, Larkfield, on Saturday, raising money for Cancer Research.

Mrs Green, 55, has been in remission from throat cancer for two and a half years, while her husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer four years ago and has six monthly check-ups.

The pair both were both unable to work due to their illness, although Mr Green is now able to work as a driver.

Mrs Green had been a healthcare assistant at the stroke unit at Maidstone Hospital.

They began collecting lights to decorate their home when they moved to the street 22 years ago and each year have added a few more, including lit up reindeer on the front lawn.

Seven years ago they decided to start collecting pennies for charity from onlookers, as the lights often drew a crowd.

Mrs Green, whose father died of throat cancer at the age of 50, said: “The kids love it; all the kids down the street come to see. We enjoy it. We started doing it for ourselves really. It takes weeks to put them up but hours to take them down. People are so generous.”

So far they have raised £80 and will keep collecting until the first week in January.

Occasionally, they find £20 notes left for the display, and one year there was £50 with a note from the family saying the charity had helped their child.

She added: “We both had good jobs and both enjoyed them, but we ended up losing them. But we are both still here and have got more chances. I know so many people who didn’t make it.”

The pair laminate a letter from the charity and leave it outside their home so any givers are reassured they are donating to a charity.