Free grotto for families priced out of a Santa visit

A visit to Father Christmas is surely one of the highlights of the festive season for children.

But the trip can prove a financial burden for some families who struggle to afford it.

One community is tackling the issue by setting up their own grotto, with the help of their local food bank, to make sure children from all backgrounds get a chance to tell Santa what they'd like for Christmas.

The idea came from hairdressers Wendy Cummins and Hayley Moore, who said their friends and customers were increasingly worried about how expensive a trip to Father Christmas had become.

The friends persuaded the landlord of their parade of shops in Boyatt Wood, near Southampton, to let them transform one of the unused units into a Winter Wonderland.

Video Journalist: Ben Moore