A man who dresses up as Father Christmas kept up a 25-year tradition by delivering presents to homes on Christmas Eve.

Each year, Brian Hopgood rides in a carriage drawn by two shire horses and hands out gifts to youngsters in his road, Windmill Rise, Minster.

The 80-year-old grandfather also visits neighbouring Cliff Gardens and Plough Lane.

Mr Hopgood and his wife Christine, 69, post a letter to all the houses on Windmill Rise asking parents if they would like to leave a present with the couple for Mr Hopgood to give to their children.

The father-of-two said: “We get all the presents in order and we make up goodie bags for all the children that come to see me.

“We fill the bags with little bells, colouring books, pencils, sweets, crackers and a candy canes.

“We also decorate the house; we have a snow machine, a Santa Claus moving about in the bedroom window, and so on.

“I then get the carriage, which is led by two shire horses from John and Dave Goodwin’s farm in Minster.

“It is hard work, but we just enjoy doing it.”

Mr Hopgood said the couple make up around 50 goodie bags and hand out about 70 presents each year.

When asked how he started the Christmas tradition, Mr Hopgood joked: “I fell into it somehow!

“My wife Christine and I were foster carers for many years, we enjoy children’s company, and it just progressed from there,” he added.

Mr Hopgood has had his Father Christmas attire made for him by a close friend. He said: “My outfit is red, with a pattern running through it, and I have a waistcoat, which is green. It’s a very traditional-looking outfit.

“And I don’t need to wear a fake beard, as I already have a real one.”

Mr Hopgood starts out in his carriage at 5pm every Christmas Eve and heads to Cliff Gardens and Plough Lane before getting to Windmill Rise at around 6pm.

“Everybody is out there waiting for me when I come up Windmill Rise,” Mr Hopgood said.

“It makes me feel great when I see them all standing there; it’s lovely to see their faces. People come out and wish me a Merry Christmas as I go by as well and it just makes it all worthwhile.

“I am a big fan of Christmas and I like to see children enjoy themselves. It’s a little bit of magic for those that believe.

“I’ll admit, it’s tiring at the end of the night, but it’s what Christmas is all about and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”