Santa surfs into town

Christmas came early for Londoners as Santa strolled into town.

But instead of being dressed in his traditional snugly red and white fur suit, Santa seems to have a rare change of heart, and plumped for a get up more fit for a Californian beach.

Dressed in a blue Hawaiian shirt, red Bermuda shorts, flip flops, shades, and carrying a surfboard, Santa - still with his familiar beard and mop of white curly hair - strutted his stuff on the rainy streets of Knightsbridge.

But in consolation for him arriving too late for the recent mini heatwave, he was instead made to feel at home as fake snow pumped over him.

Santa jetted in after enjoying a few weeks summer break in the Bahamas to launch this year's Harrods's Christmas World department.

A crowd gathered on the street outside the store to take photos as he discarded his flip flops and walked barefoot through the snow crying, "ho ho ho !"

Santa said: "Santa usually tries to get away once a year as I work so hard most of the year so I went to the Bahamas and then spent two days in Miami where I did a little surfing, laid on the beach and got a lovely tan.

"It was marvellous with lots of sunny weather, which I am not used to in Lapland."

Before leaving for Lapland, he went up to the Christmas Department which was crammed with twinkling lights, decorations and gifts, to meet American festive gift designer Katherine Kleski.

Santa will be returning to Harrods on November 6 to take up residence in the Christmas grotto.

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