SANTA has sent a New Year 'thank you' to the Journal for supporting his Save a Life Appeal.

Councillor Mark Aldred said: "Because of your readers, Santa managed to visit over 300 children within the three weeks running up to Christmas, over twice as many as last year.

"Thanks to the people of Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley, Lowton, Golborne and also Wigan for their support which helped to raise over £ 450 for the Mayor's 'Save a life' Campaign to fund extra emergency rapid response ambulance units."

"I would like to apologise to all those people out there who Santa couldn't visit. He was booked up pretty quickly with over 200 calls on the first weekend after details were published."