SANTA was given an unusual lift this week to ensure he made it home to Lapland in time for Christmas.

Father Christmas has spent four weeks at Milestones, Hampshire's living history museum in Basingstoke, handing out presents to children.

On Monday, he bade farewell to the museum and asked staff to provide him with a lift home.

The museum offered him Blossom, a steam tractor built in 1917. And just in case time had taken its toll on either vehicle or driver, the Basingstoke-based AA was on hand to help out.