Queen's bishop's jibe at Sandringham's Christmas 'ecological disaster zone'

And she certainly won't personally have hung up any of the hundreds of twinkling lights that have adorned the Sandringham Estate this Christmas.

Nevertheless when the Bishop of Norwich chose a service attended by the Queen on her Norfolk estate yesterday to describe some festively illuminated homes as "minor ecological disaster zones" it raised a wry smile in some quarters.

The Right Reverend Graham James was preaching a sermon based on light and Christmas at the estate's St Mary Magdalene church when he made his remarks.

He spoke of various kinds of light associated with Christmas and told the congregation: "Some people, I have noticed around here, turn their houses into minor ecological disaster zones."

Doubtless he was referring to those whose brightly-lit ho-ho homes could rival Blackpool illuminations.

Unfortunately it just so happens that this year is the first time the estate itself has been lit - courtesy of lights supplied by Blackpool Borough Council - as part of a Christmas family festival organised by Sandringham.

The house itself has not been adorned. But thousands of fairy lights arranged in strings and stars stretch for more than 800 yards among the trees bringing a little Yuletide magic to an area near the estate's visitor centre.

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They were made by the Illuminations Department of Blackpool council, which manufactures and supplies designs.

The Queen is understood to have given her personal approval to the festivities which include an openair skating rink, pantomimes and a children's funfair.

"To be able to add these Blackpool lights to this magnificent setting is something we're thrilled about," a Sandringham spokesman said earlier this month.

"There's not much Blackpool council doesn't know about lights - and large amounts of lights - so it made sense to go to the experts in the field when we decided we wanted some."

While the lights may be a tastefullyarranged decoration the electricity bill might not be to all tastes, while others may be concerned by the environmental considerations.

According to the Energy Saving Trust an extravagant outside display - which would be on a much smaller scale than that on the Sandringham estate - can use enough power to run an average home for six weeks.

Over the 12 days of Christmas, a typical string of lights left on for ten hours a day would produce roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide as two dishwasher cycles.

Applied the whole of the UK, that comes to 32,000 tons over the Christmas period.

Even leaving conventional Christmas tree lights on for ten hours a day over the 12 days produces enough CO2 to inflate 12 balloons.

Sandringham's environmental policy is outlined on the back of menus by managers of the restaurant at the visitor centre.

"It is our aim to be as environmentally sensitive as possible," the policy states.

"Over the last few years we have been working on reducing the amount of waste we produce and the amount of energy we use.

"We now recycle all glass, cans and cardboard used at the visitor centre and we are experimenting with an accelerated composting machine.

"We have recycled more than 40,000 glass bottles and aluminium cans in the last 12 months."