A WISHING tree is being set up in Dovercourt to bring festive cheer to less fortunate children in the town.

Community group Create has announced the town’s first ever community Christmas wishing tree will be placed at Boutique Paint Station in Dovercourt High Street.

The idea will see disadvantaged children given the chance to put a wish for a gift valued under £5 on the tree.

Kirsti Ayling, organiser, said: “Members of our community are then invited to come along and kindly grant this wish if they desire.

“We had already been talking about having a wishing tree in the new year like the wishing lines so we thought we could do one for Christmas.”

The group has also revealed that Santa will be staying in town after the Christmas light switch-on event in Dovercourt last Friday.

A community grotto is being opened in the Boutique Paint Station on December 16 and will run every day until Christmas.

Kirsti added: “I’m excited to announce we’ve just extended on the theme of Santa coming to town and he’s staying for a while.

“We have decided to open a community grotto in the Boutique Paint Station.

“On December 16, Santa and his elves will be waiting to see any children in the town that may have missed Santa on the night and they’ll be given opportunity to meet Santa in his grotto receive a gift and photo opportunity.”

Biscuit decorating with frozen characters Elsa, Olaf and Anna will also available on selected days times from December 11 throughout the festive period.

Kirsti said: “We have all this beautiful stuff for the grotto and it’s a shame we only get to use it for three hours.

“We had to have the grotto covered because it was outside but in the paint station we will have Santa’s chair with trees and snow and little deer and snowmen.”