Video and pictures: Santa makes flying visit to Shrewsbury school

Father Christmas decided to rest the reindeers until Christmas Eve and arrived at Oakmeadow School in Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury, by helicopter.

Teachers and parents had managed to keep the visit a secret and after a school assembly in which headteacher Carla Whelan showed them a video from Santa, saying he had been very pleased with their school work and would visit them soon, they were led out into the playground. "The timings really worked and as soon as we got outside for 'some fresh air' the helicopter appeared," said Mrs Whelan.

The school began their advent week on Tuesday when they talked about Christmas and what it really means, and on Wednesday the children attended a Christmas service at Christ Church.

Mrs Whelan said Wednesday's visit brought together the real meaning of Christmas with some festive fun. "It was a lovely opportunity to bring the magic of Christmas to Oakmeadow and have a really nice surprise for the children," she said.

Sally Page, chair of the Oakmeadow Parent and Teacher Association, said: "Just to see their little faces when Santa came up the field was wonderful, some of the teachers were welling up because you could see the children were so excited."