KIDS came to have a gander at Mother Goose and friends in the Westgate Centre on Saturday. The opening of Santa s Grotto was heralded by pantomime characters including Mr Pickwick, giant penguins, Mrs Christmas, singing reindeer and the Christmas elves.

KIDS came to have a gander at Mother Goose and friends in the Westgate Centre on Saturday.

The opening of Santa's Grotto was heralded by pantomime characters including Mr Pickwick, giant penguins, Mrs Christmas, singing reindeer and the Christmas elves.

Doors opened at 11am and the characters spent the day meeting and greeting customers and handing out free teddy bears.

They also conducted an autograph competition where kids collected stamps from each of the characters and were entered into a prize draw. Amy Sealy-Bell, 15, from Stevenage scooped £100 of shopping vouchers to spend at the centre.