TONY Gandy is probably the best known Father Christmas in Warrington.

He visits schools, places of work, clubs, public houses, shelters and nursing homes, every year across December to spread the festive cheer.

And he will be getting on his Warrington Lions Christmas sleigh from tomorrow, Saturday, December 4 starting a tour of the town for 13 nights.

The Lions have revealed the designated starting points for Father Christmas on each evening and it begins with Lidl in Latchford at 4.30pm tomorrow.

They will leave at 5pm and go down Thelwall Lane, Powder Mill Road, Nook Lane, Pichael Nook, Seabury Street, Reynolds Street, Pendle Bury, Newman Street, Charlton Street, Sandhurst Street and Belmont Avenue.

Tony – who has been doing this for more than 35 years – said: “It’s a huge part of my life. The enjoyment I get seeing the smiling faces of babies right up to the elderly gives me an immense feeling of satisfaction.

“When I go to nursing homes I watch their faces and for some seeing Father Christmas transports them back to their childhoods they recognise him now that humbles me and makes what I do rewarding and worthwhile”.

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Last year, Tony got on his sleigh and decided to not knock on doors due to coronavirus and won’t do so again this year.

He added: “That way the children can come out to us or we can meet them before at the meeting place so they can all have pictures taken.

“We have plenty of times for pictures.

“We don’t go out looking for money but what money we do raise this year, we have picked 13 charities to receive the money.

“We are excited because we try to put smiles on people’s faces and we hope that we can do that.”

All donations to Warrington Lions and their supporting charities are welcome.

For more details on the full routes, visit Warrington Lions’ or Tony Gandy’s Facebook page.