WITH the absence of any snow so far this winter in Wiltshire, Santa Claus is having to resort to other forms of transport than his traditional sleigh.

Father Christmas arrived at Pewsey Wharf by narrow boat on Saturday to take up his position in a grotto in the Boatman's Locker, chandlery and canal supplies store.

Mary and Joe Barker, who run the canal-side shop, invited Father Christmas to be at their store last weekend and again this Saturday and Sunday, from 10am to 4pm.

Santa was delivered to the wharf on the decorated narrow boat Dawn Chorus.

There may not have been any snow for his sledge but a couple of his reindeer made the journey on top of the 55ft canal boat.

Mr and Mrs Barker said they decided to invite Santa along because during the winter months the wharf attracts few visitors.

Mr Barker said: "It's a lovely place that is little used at this time of year so we decided to have a Santa's grotto to attract a few more families along.

"We had a few children through the first weekend but as it's a new thing, and there was another Father Christmas in the centre of Pewsey, it was as good as we could expect."

While children visited Santa in his grotto, there was an opportunity for parents to browse around the shop with its brightly coloured traditional canal-ware utensils that both Mr and Mrs Barker paint.

They also run a workshop teaching others the craft.