The father branded a 'pikey ' during a neighbourhood row over Christmas lights will defiantly switch them on tonight . Kevin Franklin , of Dunstable , Bedfordshire , says he will switch his lights on every evening in April for Autism Awareness Month . Mr Franklin 's 15-year-old son Bradley is autistic and the family want to use his Christmas light show to raise awareness for charities working with those with the disability . Kevin Franklin will light up his Christmas lights on the front of his home tonight for Autism Awareness Month . The 53-year-old father put the lights up on his council house last November in preparation for Christmas . But he did n't take them down in January because he wanted to switch the lights on again in April for Autism Awareness Month . The continued presence of the lights in recent weeks has angered some neighbours , prompting a poison pen letter last month . It read : ' I am fed up of seeing your grotesque tacky council house Christmas lights . It is March , for goodness sake . Your house leaves this lovely community looking a disgrace . 'It looks like a state . It sticks out like a sore thumb . I do n't want to keep driving past this eyesore , every time I do , my kids scream . I know you live in a council house , but there 's no need to make it look like one . ' The letter finished 'Yours sincerely , a very disgruntled citizen . ' The father kept them up after Christmas ahead of autism week , prompting anger from some neighbours . The continued presence of the light , prompted one local resident to write this abusive message to Mr Franklin . Mr Franklin , who has been medically retired from work after suffering two strokes and a heart attack , said today : ' I will be putting on the lights tonight when it gets dark and switch them off again around 10pm . This will happen throughout April for Autism Awareness Month . 'That was always my plan and it 's why , back in January , I decided not to take them down because I knew I would be putting them up again in April . ' I would have taken the lights down after April but now I 'm going to leave them on the house out of principle , but I wo n't be turning them on again until December 2 . ' The former publican added : 'It 's been blown out of all proportion and has turned into a row between council house tenants and those who own their properties . 'Some people think we are scum because we rent , but my house looks a lot tidier than some of those that have been bought by the occupants . 'We are all human beings and the only difference is they have bought their pile of bricks and I rent mine . ' He says his nearest neighbours support him in his idea to raise awareness of charities . He added : ' I 've even heard some neighbours saying they will donate to charity and I 've been told that some people around Dunstable may even put up their own Christmas lights in support . ' He said he planned to take them down next month , but now will keep them up 'out of principle '
Father of autistic teenager kept next year ' lights up to raise awareness . But angry neighbour sent him abusive letter branding them 'an eyesore ' He now plans to switch them on to support Autism Awareness Month . Former publican says he 'll keep them up until Christmasout of principle '