The children all queued quietly to begin with and Miss June was pleased with the well-controlled group. Headmaster Brownlow would be happy with his children, after all up until now they had behaved so well.

Miss June looked down the row of children proudly.

Dave and Polly stood holding hands, while George Garfield persisted to pinch Dave and stick his tongue out at Polly.

Cass and Sam scowled at each other from different ends of the queue, then waited till no one was looking at each other and winked. Miss June laughed to herself.

Duncan stood leaning against the wall, occasionally pulling a chocolate bar from his pocket, studying it and munching away. Jim Carver caught him munching from the corner of his eye, and began to cry. "I want a chocolate bar, Miss June."

"Now, now, Jim," she said, placing an arm around his shoulders and pulling him free from the group. "You know you eat too much chocolate, your parents are beginning to think you are addicted to the stuff." All of the children in the line looked at Jim and began to laugh. Jim cried some more, and buried his head in Miss June's skirt.

"What's all this fuss about then?" Mr Cryer entered the dimly lit hallway.

"It's okay Bob, just having a little word with Jim about his chocolate addiction."

"I'm not addicted to chocolate, Miss, honest," Jim said quietly.

"I know son, you just like it a bit too much that's all," Bob said pushing the boy back into line.

He pulled June aside. "Don't keep favouring the boy June, you're doing him no favours."

"I know Bob, I just feel so sorry for him, if this addiction carries on much longer, the poor child will end up like one of those poor children from Charlie and the chocolate factory."

Bob laughed. "You care too much June, that's your problem, you have to be objective in this job."

Miss June moved away from Bob and pulled Mickey Webb out of the line. She turned him round and forcefully tucked his shirt back into his trousers.

"Awwwww Miss!" he said disgruntled. He waited until she had moved away and quickly pulled the shirt back out.

Just then a disruption broke out between Dale Smith and Nick Klein.

Smithy had Klein by the hair and was proceeding to bang his head against the wall.

Bob marched over, indicating to June that he was in control of the situation.

"Smiffy told me that Santa doesn't exist," Nick exclaimed as Bob released him from Smithy's grip.

"Smithy, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Well he doesn't, sir, its all a load of boll….."

"Dale!" Bob stopped him in his tracks. "Now apologise to Nick."

"No, he called me a liar."

"I did not, you started it."

"You started it," Smithy said, taking a swing for Nick.

"Oi!" Smithy exclaimed as Mr Cryer grabbed his arm.

"Smithy stand over there in the corner NOW."

Dale marched away sulking and glaring at Nick Klein.

Nick stuck his tongue out at Dale, and Dale raised his fist and mouthed the words "I'll sort you later."

June looked along the row of children. Her heart warming, knowing that apart from a few misfits, they were all such lovely children.

Gary Mcann and Danny Glaze stood together exchanging pictures from a magazine containing the latest hairstyles.

Tony Stamp stood with his arm protectively round Vicky as they examined a brand new toy car they had found in the school playground that morning.

Then she got to the back of the row and looked at the odd balls that stood together in a group. Funny how there were always cliques, even at this age.

Young Geoff Daly stood glaring at Don Beech as he, in his own unique way, even at his tender age, chatted up Kerry Holmes and Claire Stanton. Kerry seemed to be enjoying the flattery, while Claire occasionally glanced at John Boulton, not really interested in Don Beech and his preenings at all.

Derek Conway and Jack Meadows were swapping Pokemon cards, and all the time arguing about the strategies of the characters.

Her attention was brought to the middle of the row where Matt Boyden and Reg Hollis were bickering as usual.

"Santa doesn't drive a train, Reg, he rides on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Blimey are you thick or what."

"But if he did drive a train he would save on the energy of the reindeers, and I'm sure that trains can go must faster than reindeer."

"But he has six reindeer, Reg!"

"I am still of the opinion that the train would be faster, after all six reindeer compared to an electric train…"

"Oh shut up Reg," Andrew said angrily and turned his back to him.

Suddenly an elf appeared from nowhere and the children suddenly became excited.

"Hello children, my name is Luke, and I am Santa's helper."

"Oi, you."

The elf looked at the child stood on his own in the corner.

"Yeah you, twinkle toes in the tights, how can you be Santa's helper, Santa's not real you egitt."

The young elf looked to the teachers for help. Bob and June both stifled laughter and looked away. The young man in the green tights could take no more, he had been doing this job for three days now, he had gone to the toilet while someone beat up Santa yesterday, and he was threatened with the sack, he could take no more.

He threw off his hat, and stomped to the back of the room crying.

"Sissy," Smithy called after him.

"Smithy don't be horrible, he was cute," Cass said trying to defend the elf.

"Cute! He looked like a wuss to me."

"Right into line again children," Miss June said eagerly. "We have to be well behaved to get a present from Santa's knee."

"I ain't sitting on no blokes knee!" Smithy said angrily.

"You will do as you are told Dale, now be quiet," Bob said loudly.

"Yes sir," Smithy said hanging his head.

"Ho ho ho," they heard from behind the curtain. All eyes opened wide and all faces smiled. Miss June took Jim's hand and led him into the dimly lit room.

"Come and sit on Santa's knee little boy," a young lady dressed in green said happily.

Miss June looked at the pretty girl, and tried not to stare at the black eye, which from this angle, looked really painful.

Jim Carver moved forward timidly and let the young dark haired girl lift him onto Santa's lap.

"And what do you want for Christmas, little boy?"

"Chocolate," he said quietly.

"Well as long as you're well behaved you should get all the chocolate you wish for." He studied the boy's face. "But no liqueur chocolates, hey." He laughed loudly.

Jim clambered quickly off his knee took his present from Santa's helper and scuttled out to be met by Mr Cryer.

"Next," Santa said eagerly, as Mr Cryer pushed Polly through the curtain.

"Ahh, now who have we here?" he asked and patted his knee's.

Polly slowly walked forward, looking at the twinkling lights in the room.

"I want a Ken for Christmas," she said hopping on to the knees of the man.

"A Ken?" he laughed.

"Barbie's boyfriend, Ken, I have a boyfriend too, his name's Dave."

"Yes well my dear, as long as you are well behaved you will eventually get your man," he said stressing the 'man.'

The girl took the parcel offered to her by the girl and skipped out of the room.

Dave was next and he walked in and stood next to Santa staring at his beard.

"Action man."

"Yes son, the choice is yours."

He grabbed the parcel and ran from the room.

Santa's helper looked curiously at Miss June. "Keen to get back to his girlfriend," she said answering the girl's questioning look.

"And what gives you the right to question a child's actions?" Santa said angrily to the helper.

Miss June watched as the girl visibly wilted under the man's stare.

Next in was the duet of Vicky and Tony.

Vicky popped herself onto Santa's knee athletically and sat stroking his beard.

"I would like a BMW," she said enthralled by the white cotton like strands.

"And I want a Mercedes," Tony said attracting the man's attention.

"If he gets a Mercedes I want a Rolls Royce."

"I'm sure it would be much safer for the two of you to get bikes for Christmas. If you're well behaved."

"Bikes?" the two said in unison.

"But they go so slow, and you can't reverse round corners on bikes," Tony said in disgust.

"Always keep your eye on the road ahead," Santa said focusing on Tony.

Strange, it's almost as if he knows the children, Miss June thought to herself as she watched Vicky and Tony leave the room holding hands.

Next in was George Garfield.

He stood and glared at Santa. "She sat on your knee didn't she!" he said bitterly.

"He means the little blonde girl," Miss June said quickly.

"Yes lad, and I believe she enjoyed it."

"Well you can stuff yer present then," he said and stomped out of the room.

"Take this for him for later," Santa's helper passed Miss June a small parcel for the boy.

June noticed the girl's hands tremble as she held the parcel out to her.

Cass poked her head round the curtain. And scampered into the room and took a running jump at Santa.

She held her hands open for the present and grabbed it from the helper.

She ripped eagerly at the paper and pulled out the doll.

"What's this then?" she said nearly shoving the doll up Santa's nose.

"It's a Bikini Barbie."

"I can see that," she said seeming older than her years. "It's got no bloomin clothes on."

"Just how I like them," Santa mumbled into his beard.

She hopped off his knee and walked out of the room, her ponytail swinging behind her.

Sam walked into the room holding his head high.

Santa patted his knee and waited.

"No thanks sir Santa I don't sit on men's laps."

"That's ok son," Santa said laughing.

"And I'm going to give my present to the orphanage if that's ok."

"Of course it is son."

The helper dutifully passed him his parcel, he looked at the brightly wrapped parcel and at the young girls face. "You ok Miss?" he said curiously looking at her black eye.

"I'm fine, thank you," she said glancing at Santa quickly.

With that he was out of the room proudly placing his present under his arm for safety.

Miss June made her way to the curtain and indicated to Bob to come closer.

"Everything okay out here, Bob?" she asked scanning the line of children.

"Yes June, apart from Don Beech trying to swap everyone's present for the one that he hasn't got yet everything's fine."

June laughed and left Bob to it as she shepherded Duncan into the grotto.

Duncan moved forward slowly, taking everything within the room into view.

He paused in front of Santa turned and made his way to the helper. She gave him a parcel and he left the room glancing over his shoulder at Santa and frowning.

Strange, Duncan doesn't like Santa at all, he's normally such a good judge of character. She was distracted as Mickey Webb bounded in from behind the curtain. He ran up to the helper grabbed his present stuck his tongue out at Santa and ran quickly out of the room before June could catch him to tuck his shirt in again.

Geoff, Jack and John entered next. Santa seemed to visibly shrink at the sight of them.

"Well give them their presents then," he indicated to the helper, wanting to get the children out of the room as quickly as possible.

"But we want to ask you some questions Santa," Jack said curiously.

"Exactly. Santa doesn't answer questions," he said pushing them towards the helper.

The three boys left, they're questions unanswered.

Then came Claire and Kerry and Santa was equally disturbed. He didn't offer his knee to the girls, seeming to think that they knew something about him.

They left the room disappointed with the size of their presents and the fact that they had missed out on sitting on his knee.

Santa seemed to relax when he saw the new entry to the room.

Gary McCann walked in slowly, clambered onto Santa's knee and smiled at him.

"Hello Santa," he said openly.

"And what do you want for Christmas young man?"

"A nice uniform with sparkly medals," he said eagerly.

"Well you'll have to work hard to get one of those son," he said patting the boy on his head.

"Watch his hair," came a voice from just inside the room.

Santa laughed as he spotted the young lad glaring at him.

Danny Glaze marched forward took Gary by the hand led him to the helper took two presents and escorted him from the room.

Derek Conway came in walked up to Santa and took his hand. "You really real?" he asked his eyes wide and full of awe.

"I am as real as you want me to be," Santa replied.

"You sure you're real, after all children are never supposed to see Santa."

June looked proudly at the boy, always full of questions. She chuckled inwardly.

"Well only well behaved children can see Santa," he replied hoping to quell the boy's questions.

"Hmmph," he retorted, he made his way to the helper. "He for real or what?"

The helper looked at Santa and back at the boy. "Yes he's real alright, very real." She touched her eye tenderly.

The boy stood looking at her for a minute and looked as if he was about to ask another question. She was relieved when he turned on his heels and left.

June rolled her eyes as Matt Boyden and Reg Hollis entered the room together.

Here we go, she thought to herself.

"Santa, me and Matt here were just discussing your mode of transport."

"Yeah, Reg here thinks you come on a train to deliver the presents."

"A train hey?" Santa laughed. "Well that's an interesting idea if ever the reindeer get sick."

"Told you he used reindeer," Matt looked at Reg triumphantly. "You egitt, Reg."

Reg hung his head and wandered out of the room without collecting a present, defeated.

Matt took two presents of the helper. "I'll take his for him," he said trying to peep through the wrapping paper to see the contents.

June shook her head as the boys left. But the two unusually angelic looking boys stood before her immediately captured her attention.

Nick elbowed Smithy and whispered something in his ear.

"I don't like the look of him either, Nick," Smithy said with a devilish look on his face.

The two boys marched forward and Santa smiled at them.

Nick climbed onto his lap and Dale walked to the other side of Santa and stood at his left shoulder.

Santa sat looking at the dark haired lad on his knee, not noticing Smithy holding first three fingers up, then two then one. He didn't realise what was happening until it was all too late.

Nick had expertly removed his beard, while Smithy swiftly removed the hat and false hair.

The helper stood there in amazement as Santa scowled at the boys.

June stood there glued to the spot. How did he get in here! "Bob!" she screeched. "Get in here now!"

Bob Cryer pulled back the curtain and stared at Santa.

"My god," he said looking from Santa to the children.

"Santa Santini now, is it?"

June had her mobile phone in her hands. "Yes………….. police please."