Friends step-in to save Christmas with a home delivery Santa special

A trio of Corby friends have stepped in to help bring a festive treat to disappointed families whose seasonal special meet and greet with Santa Claus failed to materialise.

Hundreds of children were booked in for a doorstep delivery from the jolly man in the big red coat but due to unexplained circumstances the bookings were not fulfilled.

Genna Knight's sons were looking forward to a face-to-face meeting with St Nick but instead of letting down Eli, four, and three-year-old Isaac in the true spirit of Christmas she volunteered to help.

Through social media, she recruited two willing volunteer dads, printer James Dunn, 28, and Andy Morgan, 29, an aluminium fabricating engineer - friends since their schooldays - to deliver selection boxes to the children who had been let down. James is father to Cohen and Albie, while Andy is step-dad to Oliver.

The 27-year-old said: "This year has been terrible and I didn't want it to get any worse. A lot of people won't have the money to pay again. People have been in lockdown, been on furlough and just don't have the money.

"I'm co-ordinating the deliveries that will be done by James and Andy. We have the outfits, jingle bells, and the sacks and they will be making the deliveries fitting them in around their jobs and childcare."

Genna's company Sleepy Knights has provided the first 30 gifts with Butterwick Bakery and Coffee shop donating £100 for the cause.

She said: "I didn't expect it would go this crazy. I've had more than 70 messages from people who were let down.

"I'm excited we'll be bringing joy to the children. I'd like to thank James and Andy. They are going to be very busy between now and Christmas Eve.

"It's something to look forward to and it's good to bring a bit of Christmas happiness in this horrible year."