A man who uses his Halloween displays to raise money for charity has had this year’s decorations set on fire and destroyed in a suspected arson attack.
Stan Yanetta, from South Shields in South Tyneside, has raised thousands of pounds each year through his Halloween displays and Christmas decorations, a tradition he has had for the last 15 years.
His Halloween decorations were set ablaze after 11pm on October 30, resulting in the complete destruction of the display.
No arrests have been made, but CCTV footage shows a man wearing a balaclava pouring an accelerant over the display before it alights.
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Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said the fire started in a shed but “spread to the external properties of other addresses”.
Mr Yanetta was made aware of the fire by his brother, who knocked on his door just after the fire started.
“I popped my head around the corner and the whole street was ablaze,” he told ITV.
He added: “The display, from one end to another, was totally gone.”
CCTV footage shows a man wearing a balaclava pouring an accelerant over the display before it alights
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“I'm gutted, I've cried all night. Gutted isn't the word - I'm devastated.
“I thought, why me? Why have they done what they've done? Everybody is saying, 'Why are they bothering Stan?'. Everybody knows what I do.”
Mr Yanetta said the effort to build the display began in September, with “countless” hours put into the project.
He said he is not planning to start again, and added: “I'm broken - it's really got me.”
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Richy Ames, a neighbour and friend of Mr Yanetta, has helped set up the display over the years and said more than 200 people had seen a “dummy run” of the lights hours before the fire.
Mr Ames said: “All night, people have shown support.
“This morning, people have been turning up in their cars passing, saying we are so sorry.
“The number of businesses that have come forward saying 'can we donate stuff' and 'can we help in any way' - it's just unreal.”
Mr Yanetta, a business owner in South Shields, has spent over £1,000 of his own money on holiday lights.
This year, he planned to donate money to animal charity Pawz for Thought, newborn baby charity Tiny Lives Trust, and South Shields-based SURT: Stopping Unsafe Relationships Together.
Mr Yanetta, who owns a garage in South Shields, also builds custom cars themed around popular culture and Christmas.
Speaking to the BBC about his Christmas display in 2019, Mr Yanetta said: “The kids just love it and they love to see Santa.”
A GoFundMe has been set up by Mr Yanetta’s niece, Toni Yanetta, so that he is still able to donate to charity.
The GoFundMe has already raised over £3,876 after it was established today. You can donate to Mr Yanetta's GoFundMe page here.
Northumbria Police, who are treating the case as suspected arson, are now appealing for anyone from the area with information to get in touch.
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