Australian man sets new world record with highest-ever number of lights on Xmas tree

AUSTRALIA’S answer to National Lampoon’s Clark Griswold has just set a whole new benchmark for Christmas tree trimming everywhere.

AN AUSTRALIAN set his third world record in as many years by illuminating a Christmas tree with the highest-ever number of twinkling lights.

David Richards strung 518,838 LED lights on the 22-metre tree in Canberra to raise money for families affected by sudden infant death syndrome.

Guinness World Records confirmed that Mr Richards, a lawyer and businessman, broken the record for the most lights on an artificial Christmas tree that had been held for five years by Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. The 36-metre Japanese tree had set a new benchmark of 374,280 lights this month.

Mr Richards started working in December last year to build the dazzling display with the help of volunteers including an electrical engineer, structural engineer, welders, carpenters, masons and steel fixers.

Crowds in Canberra gather to check out the Guinness World Record attempt for the most lights on an artificial Christmas tree. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

He told The Today Show on Nine this morning 75,000 people flocked to his driveway to check out the display, prompting him to relocate it to the city centre.

Mr Richards creates such Christmas extravaganzas to raise money for Canberra’s sudden infant death syndrome charity, SIDS and Kids, by drawing large crowds and inviting them to donate.

“Some people say I’ve got quite a knack for getting people to do things for nothing,” he told AP.

“I get people to do things for nothing because they know that I do things for nothing and I’m contributing my own money, resources, time and effort as well — so maybe they feel sorry for me.”

He set his first Guinness World Record in 2013 for the most lights on a residential property by covering his suburban home with 502,165 bulbs.

David Richards from Canberra wins Guinness World Record for Christmas light display with 502,165 flickering bulbs. Picture: Guinness World Records

He set his second record a year ago by stringing up 1,194,380 LED lights in a public space. The 120 kilometres of multicoloured wire woven in the shape of three interconnected giant, wrapped Christmas gifts in a Canberra mall was the largest ever image made of LED lights.

But records tumble fast in the competitive world of light displays. Mr Richards’ 2014 record was smashed in June at a hotel in Myoko, Japan, by an image of a dragon comprising 1,529,103 lights.

His 2013 record for lights at home was beaten within days by a family in New York that decorated their home with 601,736 Christmas lights, reclaiming their 2012 record.