SANTA and his reindeer paid an early visit to Huddersfield.

Although he is already rushed off his feet with the festive season just around the corner, Santa managed to find time to visit the Armitage's garden centres in Shelley and Birchencliffe.

And he will be at the centres every weekend to ask children what they would like for Christmas from now until the big day.

Centre manager at the Birchencliffe Road branch, Sharon McNair, said: "It was a great day. All the children that came to greet Santa and his reindeer seemed to really enjoy themselves.

"And a lot of the children, and even the parents, had never seen a real-life reindeer."

Every child who visits Santa either in Birchencliffe or Shelley, will be entered into a prize draw to adopt a reindeer for a year.