THE red-suited Santa has arrived in style at a York garden centre to give a massive helping of Christmas cheer to young visitors.

Santa's horse-drawn sleigh touched down at Wyevale Garden Centre, in Boroughbridge Road, Upper Poppleton, where he has taken up residence in his impressive grotto for the run up to his busiest day.

The garden centre team has created a dazzling grotto, complete with penguins and snowmen, and made sure that Santa's sack is bulging with goodies.

A healthy cut of the £3 grotto entry fee, which parents must pay for each child, is going to children's charity Barnardos.

Volunteers from the York Barnardos shop, in Front Street, Acomb, will be on hand to help when the grotto opens each Saturday and Sunday from 11am until 4pm.

Aptly-named Barnardos manager, Holly Woodward said: "My shop assistant Joan Littlewood and I will be helping Santa to make Christmas really special for the children and the money we raise will be helping other children. We are really grateful to Wyevale for helping us."

A special tombola will be held and the grotto will be open on Wednesday, December 5, from 6.30pm until 9pm, when the centre holds a late opening night.

Updated: 08:40 Monday, November 19, 2001