Robbie Raggio has a message for the person who sent him hate mail over his Christmas lights: "Thank You!"

The lights he used to decorate his house in Woodland Drive, Hove, to raise money for Rett syndrome sufferers have made him famous.

It started when he received a poison pen letter, claiming to be from a neighbour and telling him to go and live in the USA if he wanted to be as brash as the Americans.

After we ran the story it was flashed around the world.

Robbie appeared on ITN news and This Morning with Richard and Judy. He is booked to go on the Tricia show early in the New Year.

Robbie said: "The story went all over America and around the world when cable network CNN interviewed me.

"A friend of mine was in Moscow and he turned on the television in his room and there I was. He was so surprised he rang me to tell me.

"We've had hundreds of letters of support containing donations, including one from Spain."

He said: "The person who sent the original letter never did take up my offer to come round for a coffee so that I could explain about Rett Syndrome.

"So far, we have raised £1,200 for the charity and we will keep collecting until the lights come down after Christmas.

"I would like to buy the letter writer a bouquet because if it had not been for that we would not have raised nearly so much, so thank you, whoever you are."

This was the first year that Robbie, who owns Hove Station Car Wash, has raised money for charity with his Christmas lights.

He said: "I shall definitely do it again next year. But you will just have to watch this space to find out if it will be bigger and better."