WALKING down a Stockton side-street, you could be mistaken for believing Christmas has come early.

For outside the Feed a Child Cafe, in Ramsgate, is a 6ft Father Christmas that happily shouts "ho, ho, ho" to passers-by.

However, it is all in a good cause, and the lifesize model is to be raffled off to raise money for an appeal by Rod Jones, from the charity Convoy Aid, to bring burns victim Mariana to England from Romania.

The seven-year-old needs lifesaving treatment after she was doused in petrol and set on fire by Russian mafia thugs.

Mr Jones needs to raise at least £10,000 and is halfway there, but is desperate to raise the further £5,000 needed.

He said: "We are now in a position to bring Mariana to England, but we need to raise the rest of the money to pay for things like bandages.

"Unfortunately, her mother and father have gone missing and we cannot bring her to England until her mum is with her. If we do not, though, she is not going to survive.

"She has fought for four months and I do not know how she has survived that, but she deserves to live."

Mr Jones is now waiting to hear what happens next and hopes that Mariana's mother will be found so he can bring her to England.

In the meantime, the charity is continuing to raise money and is offering raffle tickets for the Father Christmas for £1 each.

They are available at the cafe or on (01642) 613106.