Melissa Wilkinson's fervent wish was to see Father Christmas.

But the six-year-old was crestfallen when she made her annual visit to his grotto to find a caf there instead.

So her grandmother, Deanna Walker, wrote a letter asking for Santa's whereabouts, and the plea found its way to the desk of Peter Drabble, acting manager at the HillStreet Centre, Middlesbrough.

It was all smiles yesterday after successful negotiations between centre staff and local traders saw the grotto, which used to be on the site of what is now the Baker's Oven caf, relocated between Primark and Superdrug.

The biggest smile was on Melissa's face as she took up an invitation from Father Christmas to officially open his new grotto.

Peter Drabble said: "It was difficult this year because of the lack of space, but we didn't want to disappoint any of the children."