It's normally Christmas Eve when Santa Claus has to get his skates on - ready for his deliveries all over the world.

But Father Christmas dropped in to Bolton a little ahead of schedule to test out the town centre ice rink.

He was spotted performing some silky moves on the rink which has been set up in Victoria Square as part of the council's Winter Wonderland extravaganza.

He was joined on the ice by young skaters from St William of York Roman Catholic Primary School in Great Lever.

The kids donned protective helmets for their foray onto the ice and that was all well and good as one young skater, Vishakha Chinilal, took a tumble. However, she quickly dusted herself off and got her skates on once again.

The 255 square metre attraction is one of a number set up in the town centre to entertain shoppers this Christmas, including a giant 50-metre snow slide in Newport Street and a Santa's grotto in Victoria Square.

The final piece of the festive puzzle was completed last week when the giant wheel was opened in the square, offering a bird's eye view across the borough.