Santa's big helper clocks up his 25th year

In 1986 youngsters used to visit Father Christmas to ask for a teddy bear or a doll to be put into their stockings.

Now one veteran Santa says the top requests are for an Xbox 360 or Nintendo 3DS.

Roy Croucher has been one of the big man's helpers at Sandwell Park Farm since 1986 and now travels from his home in France to don the red outfit and beard.

Roy, aged 69, used to be senior countryside ranger in Sandwell and he lived in the lodge at Uplands Cemetery.

It was 25 years ago when the farm decided to set up a grotto, and asked for volunteers who would be prepared to play the part of Santa.

"When people see me in the street they ask me if I'm Santa but I tell them that I visit from France every year – and there is no way they would let the sleigh and reindeers on the ferry," Roy says with a chuckle. "Santa started coming to Sandwell Park Farm 25 years ago and now he sees the grandchildren of the children that once sat on his knee."

Roy says he thought it would be fun to play Santa and never thought he would still be doing it 25 years later.

"I took early retirement 10 years ago to live near Normandy in France where I run bird watching holidays," he says.

"However, every year I do the 1,000-mile round trip in December to come back to Sandwell, see friends and family as well as do some talks at bird groups."

When youngsters visit the grotto at Sandwell Park Farm they receive a magic ticket, which Santa can leave a secret message on, instructing his elves on what to put in the sleigh. Santa used to go in a horse-drawn open-topped double decker bus through West Bromwich," says Roy, who is married to wife Shirley and has two children and three grandchildren.

The grotto is based in a barn at the farm and it includes a winter scene with fake reindeer, polar bears and an icy pool.

This year hundreds of school children have visited and there was also a craft fair and jazz band at the farm.

"When I started, youngsters would ask for dolls and teddy bears," says Roy. "Barbie has always been a favourite as have Superman and Spiderman figures. Now children want computer games and the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo 3DS."

Roy says he used to go and see Santa when he was a child and remembers the magic of it. "We were quite a poor family so couldn't afford much but I remember the excitement of going to see Santa," he adds.