SHOPPERS were in the festive spirit as Father Christmas, his reindeer and his elves stopped by Blackburn’s Mall.

Red-nosed Rudolph led the parade from King William Street into the shopping centre, where scores of shoppers were waiting to meet the main man and his very important helpers.

Father Christmas had travelled to East Lancashire from the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland, and the reindeer were able to rest in a straw lined enclosure for the day before their return.

Our gallery of pictures from Santa's special trip to Blackburn is now online.

Click here to view and buy pictures from Santa's visit.