FATHER Christmas has been officially welcomed to Bournemouth, ready for him to take prime position in the town’s Gardens of Light.

Santa and his elves are making themselves at home in the bandstand in the Lower Gardens, overlooking the festive ice rink and the spectacular light displays.

Among the first to meet him was eight-year-old Milly McKenna, who won a competition to name Father Christmas’ reindeer.

The Corpus Christi pupil chose the name Poro which is the Finnish word for reindeer.

Mum Sue, of Southbourne, said: “She was thrilled to bits to discover they had chosen her name and has been talking about Poro ever since. She even wrote him a letter telling all the things he could do in Bournemouth.

“Her birthday is three days before Christmas so Christmas features very strongly in her life and she is in the festive spirit already.”

Bournemouth’s Christmas festivities will officially open with a Christmas lights procession next Friday from 6pm to 7pm. This will see Father Christmas and the stars of the Pavilion pantomime Peter Pan lead families through the town centre and into the gardens.

The gardens themselves will feature Michael Grubb’s interactive ‘light pods’ and the outdoor ice rink is bigger and better than before, with a rink-side cafe bar and viewing platform.

Lisa Tucker, chair of Bourne-mouth’s town centre Business Improvement District (BID), said: “We’re delighted to welcome the awe-inspiring light pods back to the Lower Gardens. Combined with the ice rink and Santa’s grotto, Gardens of Light promises to transform one of Bournemouth’s best assets into a winter wonderland.”

There will also be a Christmas painting exhibition in the Lower Gardens’ Pinewalk Gallery and visitors will be able to vote for their favourite piece of art from a selection by local schoolchildren online at the Bournemouth Echo website bournemouthecho.co.uk Entertainment in the Square will run until January 4 alongside the alpine market.

Shoppers can benefit from free parking every Thursday from 4pm and all day on Sundays in most town centre car parks.