A WINTER wonderland turned into Christmas misery after bad weather drove away stallholders and Santa was sacked for having a smoke.

Barrow residents took to social media to vent their frustration over a festive fundraiser which turned into a winter washout.

Hawcoat Park Sports and Social Club held its inaugural Christmas gala event over the weekend, promising a German market, funfair rides, an ice rink, festive food and even a visit from Father Christmas himself.

However as rain began to batter Barrow, event organisers were left in a sticky position as the promise of German markets fell through.

One Evening Mail reader Amy Smith commented on Facebook saying: "Absolutely disgraceful! The weather had nothing to do with the lack of wonderland. I didn't see a single bit of Christmas. No lights, trees decorations nothing!

"My children found the walk home more fun! Santa was enough to scare adults let alone children."

Father Christmas was an area of concern after a large number of parents caught St Nick having a crafty smoke.

One of the club directors Jack Charnley admitted this was the case but said it was dealt with immediately.

He said: "We got a new Santa straight away. As soon as we knew about it it was nipped in the bud. It was completely unacceptable."

There were issues with the ice rink when it became flooded and had to temporarily close, while visitors hoping to browse stalls at the advertised German market were unable to do so, because it never materialised.

Social media user Paul Jacko took to Facebook to show the image of a snow covered festive fairground used in promotional material, next to actual pictures from the weekend, adding: "Says it all."

Meanwhile, Kerry Lawson said on Facebook: "Shocking is the only word to describe it. People should be given a refund. Certainly not what was advertised.

"They blamed the weather for things not showing up, but where were the Christmas lights and festive music. There was no wonderland to be seen! "People were queuing for over one-and-a-half hours to see Santa in an inflatable grotto. It's a disgrace!"

Entry was £10 for adults, £5 for children or £25 for a family pass.

Despite the disappointment of many, some families had high praise for the enterprise.

One mother Abbigail Cooper said: "We loved it. Seeing your child happy is the only thing that counts regardless of the price."

Following the disappointing start on Friday, event organisers hoped to recompense customers by offering free drinks and entry onto the rides.

One of the directors Dave Coverdale said: "It's about giving something back to the community. That's what this club is all about.

"We just wanted to run an event that hadn't been done in Barrow before and we feel that both Saturday and Sunday have been successful."

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