A TAXI dressed head-to-toe in tinsel, and other decorations, is helping to raise money for a children’s charity.

Paul Owen, a taxi driver for Poole Radio Cabs, has decorated his car for Christmas two years running now in order to raise funds for Gully’s Place at Poole Hospital.

He said: “I always wanted to decorate my car for special needs children. Then one of my colleagues told me his wife was involved with Gully’s Place, so I did some research and it took off from there.”

Among the decorations adorning the taxi are: three cuddly reindeer on the front, tinsel and flashing lights along the car, and a Father Christmas on the roof. The inside is filled with baubles, fairly lights, seasonal stickers and posters, a snowman, and more Father Christmases.

Mr Owen said he often gets cheers and waves from passers-by. “When I go to pick people up they do a double-take and go ‘wow’.”

He has raised over £2,300 so far from a mixture of passenger donations, raffle tickets, and colleagues sponsoring him to wear a Father Christmas outfit.

The donations will help the charity’s efforts in providing palliative care for children with life-limiting illnesses. Mr Owen has also decorated his taxi for other occasions, including Easter and the 2014 World Cup. “I get customers asking me ‘What’s next?’. The reason I did a Halloween theme this year was because one of my regular passengers asked me to do it!”