THEY say Christmas comes but once a year - but that is obviously not so in Chester-le-Street.
Necks craned and heads were scratched in disbelief as Christmas came early at Dobbies Garden World, where a 65ft inflatable Santa Claus appeared overnight.
Staff at the garden centre, in Durham Road, Birtley, deny confusing Bank Holiday Monday with Christmas Day, saying they simply blew up Santa so he could "stretch his legs".
By lunchtime the jolly Laplander had disappeared . . . presumably feeling somewhat deflated.
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