SANTA'S helper is alive and well — and living in Farnworth.

Kind-hearted Paul Heald is once again helping children send letters to Father Christmas by providing a postbox outside his home.

The letters are sent to the North Pole and when Santa sends returns them to each child, these are posted to every household by Mr Heald.

Mr Heald, aged 39, of Woodfield Grove, has also installed Christmas lights outside his house and has made 'reindeer food' for children to leave in their gardens on Christmas Eve.

His letterbox idea dates back to his childhood in Westhoughton, when he and his friends used to visit a house in Wingates Lane where people could post letters and even meet Santa in the flesh.

Mr Heald said: "It makes me really happy to know that kids have a smile on their faces at Christmas and are getting the stuff they want.

"I've read a lot of nice letters saying things like 'I love you, Father Christmas' and 'I've been really good this year'.

"When I was a kid I always used to get excited around Christmas and I want these kids to feel the same."

This is the eighth year Mr Heald has put up a letterbox outside his house — and he has seen much change in that time with the ongoing emergence of new technology.

He said: "Kids ask for much more electric stuff now than they used to. I used to get cards asking for bikes and dolls, now it's things like PlayStation 4s and Xbox Ones.

"Frozen seems to be massively popular with kids this year."

So far this year, Mr Heald has received 12 letters from children, but he is hoping to get about 20 to 30.

To ensure Santa’s helpers know where to post his reply, parents are asked to include their full address.