A businessman who is having his life story turned into a Netflix biopic flew Father Christmas to an East Lancashire primary school in the back of his helicopter.

Dave Fishwick, who made his millions selling mini-buses before opening a community bank for people in his home town of Burnley, made the exciting ride last week.

Lancashire radio station Ribble FM had asked him if he would fly Santa into Holly Grove School in Burnley as a treat for the children, and the self-made millionaire and helicopter enthusiast just couldn't say no.

Lancashire Telegraph: Dave Fishwick, Santa, his elf Sarah, and the BBC NW tonight crewDave Fishwick, Santa, his elf Sarah, and the BBC NW tonight crew (Image: Dave Fishwick)

Appearing on BBC North West Tonight on Friday, Dave told them: "We're gonna bring him in, he's gonna come descending through the clouds, the kids faces are gonna all light up, and I'm gonna be in the front of the chopper holding the reins of reindeer, the controls of the helicopter, as we go speeding along."

Dave, who launched Burnley Savings and Loans Ltd 10 years ago and starred in Channel 4 series Bank of Dave, landed his chopper close to the primary school car park on Friday (December 16), to allow Santa to meet with the excited children. 

And he even let one of the pupils sit in the front seat.

Ecstatic Joshua couldn't believe his luck when he got to touch the controls in Dave's chopper, with the Burnley entrepreneur saying: "I've met so many people around the world but today I've peaked, I'm Santa's driver!

"And when that little boy, Joshua, got on board, he leapt into the helicopter - headset were on, switching everything on, asking for the key! And it genuinely touched me, I think today has been one of the most special Christmases I've ever, ever had."

Holly Grove is a school for children with a range of complex needs and learning difficulties, and the delight on the pupil's faces when Santa arrived in Dave's helicopter was priceless.

Lancashire Telegraph: Dave Fishwick, Santa, his elf SarahDave Fishwick, Santa, his elf Sarah (Image: Dave Fishwick)

Dave said he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, especially seeing the children's faces light up.

He said: "The experience was terrific, especially watching the children's faces light up as we descended through the clouds and landed on the school car park.

"I met some exceptional children, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself, Santa was amazing, and Sarah played an excellent Elf.

"And on Sunday morning I received a lovely thank you note on my Bank of Dave website.

"It said, 'I’m the grandmother of Joshua the little boy who sat in his helicopter at Holly Grove School. I just wanted to say thank you so very much. I know Joshua will never forget it, so grateful.'"

Dave has recently gone viral on social media platform TikTok for sharing videos of himself flying his helicopter and showing his 277,000 followers how to operate one themselves.