A CHRISTMAS tradition is to be changed after it emerged Santa’s annual visit falls foul of the law.

For decades, Father Christmas has toured the streets of Newton Aycliffe giving sweets to children on December 24.

But organisers of the vastly popular Santa Tour, during which Father Christmas travels on the back of a flat-bed lorry with lights and music, have been told the current set up is illegal.

Great Aycliffe Town Council has been warned that its insurance would be void and the authority could be liable to prosecution.

It is now considering options to make sure the event can continue and complies with road traffic legislation, health and safety requirements.

But the news has sparked major concerns among residents who have grown up with the tradition and want it to continue for their children.

Milkman and father-of-three Russ Gibson, said: “Several generations of families have gone out in all weathers, waited for Santa to come round, received a couple of Haribos and wished him a ‘Merry Christmas’.

"It is the start of a Christmas Eve tradition where we get our pyjamas on, have our hot chocolate, go and see Santa, come in, watch a film and go to bed.

“It is a long-standing tradition and has been going for generations and generations and sometimes it holds a massive emotional memory for people.”

Mr Gibson set up a Facebook group, Save Aycliffe Santa Tours, over the weekend, which last night had nearly 5,000 members, and an online petition to reflect the depth of feeling in the community.

Sam Cairns said: “I am so sad it might be ending. My eldest daughter is 13 now and still loves the Christmas Eve tradition of waiting for Santa to do his rounds before bedtime. I now have a new baby and it’s her first Christmas this year. I was hoping to carry on that tradition.”

It is understood the tours have been running every Christmas Eve since the 1960s and last year there were eight routes, each manned by Santa, driver and observer, touring the town between 4pm and 8pm.

Resident Adam Maddison said: “It’s been a tradition for as long as I can remember. It would be such a shame if it was to stop and the new generation not see Santa in Aycliffe on Christmas Eve.”

Great Aycliffe Town Council’s events sub-committee met earlier this month when the situation was outlined in a report by the authority’s leisure manager.

The report stated: “One of the volunteers last year, a serving police officer, highlighted to a member of council staff that the law states, ‘no person shall travel on the back of a moving vehicle’. This is in reference to Road Traffic legislation and Health and Safety legislation.

“Drivers could be prosecuted and the council’s insurance would be null and void, in the event of any accident resulting in a claim.”

The council is now proposing that Santa rides in the cab, wearing a seatbelt, and gets out at about 60 stops along the various routes to meet the children.

The matter is due to be discussed at a meeting of the recreation committee on Wednesday night in the council chamber at the council offices on School Aycliffe Lane, Newton Aycliffe.

The meeting follows the environment committee meeting, which starts at 7.15pm.

Campaigner Mr Gibson is planning to attend dressed up like Santa. He is also encouraging other people to attend in fancy dress or Christmas-themed clothes to demonstrate how important the issue is to residents.

The recommendation on the meeting agenda is, “that the Santa Tour in its present format be replaced with the vehicles stopping in strategic locations throughout the parish for the public to come to visit Santa”.

There are also plans to look into creating a Winter Wonderland, starting from next year.

Cllr Arun Chandran said: “There was talk of this issue having problems after last Christmas. Why has the controlling Labour Group left it until now, ten months later, to seek to curtail or abolish the current Santa Tours.

“By deliberately leaving this issue to the last minute Labour has deliberately sought to prevent all options and circumstances being investigated and have effectively presented the council with a fait accompli, too late to do anything.”

Councillor Bob Fleming, leader of Great Aycliffe Town Council, said no final decision has been made.

He said: “As well as breaking the law, there are insurance implications. Obviously we can’t continue with the current arrangement, but it is not the case we are going to cancel the Santa Tour completely.

“Nothing is being scrapped, it is just a re-arrangement and we are obliged to do it. We understand there is a tremendous amount of feeling in the town and my grandchildren used to come over for it and we would have a party.

“So, we know this is a big issue. I mean, no one is going to stop Santa.”