THE Rotary Club of Astley has announced a record collection of more than £5,500 was donated from residents during its Santa's sleigh street tour last month.

Father Christmas was greeted with open arms and people also used the new Santa tracking app which allowed the big man in the red suit to be tracked during his street tour.

The funds will be used by the club to support causes in the area.

Leigh Journal:

Santa on The Rotary Club of Astley sleigh

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A spokesman for the rotary club said: "Astley rotarians were delighted to see the excitement on local youngsters' faces as they met Santa and received sweets from him."

Praise has been reserved for volunteers including from organisations such as Lancashire Mining Museum and Astley and Tyldesley Cycling Club.

Supermarkets, which allowed the club to leave the sleigh at their sites at weekends, were thanked too.