Having chosen not to open in London last year, fellow creator Ian Xiang said something crucial for this year was moving across the capital from its previous location, at Chiswick in West London, to South East London, which would make this year's event much more spectacular.

"Chiswick was a lovely venue but there was no room to expand, and also there are several other illumination displays nearby so we decided to go across the city, which is a great opportunity for us," he said. "Crystal Palace is a famous name, and the park is home to the famous dinosaur sculptures which are over 150 years old. Each venue has its own theme - Manchester is fantasy, Alton Towers is four seasons in one day, and Crystal Palace is rebirth, so the highpoint of the display is recreating the palace itself, and restoring it to its former glory."

Xiang said he was delighted Lightopia had been invited to be part of Alton Towers's Christmas offering.