AFTER a busy evening delivering presents around the world, Father Christmas will be making one last stop on Christmas Day to bring some festive cheer to hospital patients.

Despite it being their busiest day of the year, Santa and his two elves, Squiggle and Wiggle, popped into the Journal Office today to pick up presents donated by kind Journal readers, which they will hand out to patients at Salisbury District Hospital tomorrow.

Santa said that unfortunately there are lots of people who have to stay in hospital over the Christmas period this year, with twice as many as usual on the children's ward, and a visit from Father and Mrs Christmas and their elves brings them a bit of joy.

“It's actually the elderly ones that enjoy it more, they like seeing the elves,” he said.

All the presents that Father Christmas takes to the hospital, including the ones brought in by Journal readers, are donated. Santa said: “It's only because people donate these presents that we can do it. Thank you to all the Journal readers for their generosity.”