Here’s how to meet Santa in Kettering

Santa is coming to Kettering this year and everyone is invited to come and meet him.

The man himself will be available during weekends in the Newlands Centre, from Saturday 2 December.

He will be ready and waiting at the Elf Station to receive letters and have photos taken with youngsters.

The elves will help children write a letter to Santa and send it to the North Pole using magic reindeer dust.

In the elves' workshop youngsters can then make a Christmas craft to take home ad afterwards meet Santa and have a photo taken with the sleigh and Rudolph.

There is a £2 charge per child which this year goes to Cransley Hospice.

The Meet Santa Experience is being jointly run by Kettering Town Council and the Newlands Centre.

Cllr Craig Skinner, chairman of the council's Markets and Events Committee, said: "We are so pleased that Father Christmas will be coming to town this Christmas. I hope everyone is on his good list – and is ready to tell him what they want this year."

Scott Edwards, from the Newlands Centre, said: "The Elf Station is really good fun and everyone gets a chance to meet Santa and take home a Christmas creation.

"As well as the regular sessions we are dedicating a day to relaxed sessions – for anyone with autism or sensory processing issues – where noise will be reduced and it will be a calmer environment. This will be on Sunday 10 December."

The Elf Station will be open from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 December, Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 December, Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 December and from Thursday 21 to Saturday 23 December.

There's no need to book – just turn up in the Newlands Centre, in the unit next to Poundland.

Elsewhere in the town, Kettering Town Council is running Christmas markets on four Saturdays during November and December, featuring a mix of street food and drink, produce, artisan gifts as well as live music and entertainment.

As well as the Saturday markets the town council is also organising the lights switch on, which will be held on Thursday 23 November.