SHE’S more used to life in soap-land – but television star Gemma Merna sparkled as she helped to transform a Hampshire home into a winter wonderland.

The Hollyoaks babe, who plays Carmel, had the honour of switching on the Christmas lights at Hayley Crosby’s Netley Abbey home after the mum-of-three won a once-in-a-lifetime competition in the Daily Echo.

Hayley entered to have her house transformed into a festive wonderland because her youngest son Brandon, four, always wanted their house to be lit up like the home in his favourite movie, Home Alone.

So with all her family, friends and neighbours gathered outside, Gemma and Hayley pressed the big red switch which saw the house illuminated in fairy lights and covered in snow.

Hayley said: “I entered the competition for my little boy, never thinking I would win it, but it has been a fantastic day and I’m so pleased we could do something festive for the community.

“Gemma is absolutely lovely and the children love all the decorations and lights.”

Hayley, her partner and three sons will also receive Virgin Media’s TiVo powered digital TV service for a year.

We launched the competition to celebrate the complete “switch-on” of Virgin Media’s services in Southampton, giving about 80,000 homes access to the UK’s most advanced digital services and ultrafast 100MB broadband.

Residents across the city can now access the full complement of Virgin Media’s digital and home entertainment services.