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Naughty list warning after Santa's sleigh attacked

Caernarfon Round Table The Santa float driving through Gwynedd on Thursday eveningCaernarfon Round Table
The sleigh travels around Gwynedd every year

Santa Claus might not be coming to town after a Christmas float was attacked by a group of teenagers.

The Caernarfon Round Table, which takes a mobile grotto around Gwynedd every year, has warned they might have to cancel future visits to Llanrug if it happens again.

The trailer and Land Rover were targeted by youngsters who were also spotted throwing "rugby balls and stones" at other vehicles on Thursday night.

No one was hurt but organisers said Santa could be adding names to his naughty list when the grotto returns to the area on Tuesday.

North Wales Police agreed this was a possibility.

Caernarfon Round Table The Land Rover and trailerCaernarfon Round Table
The trailer and Land Rover were pelted with "objects" as they drove through the village on Thursday

Terry Jones, chairman of the Caernarfon Round Table, said the group had been visiting Llanberis and were passing through Llanrug on their way back to Caernarfon when "these youths just started pelting the Land Rover and the trailer with items".

"They were spotted throwing rugby balls and stones at other vehicles too. Luckily no one was on the float so no one got hurt," he said.

"Tomorrow night we’re in Llanrug village itself so one of the police officers here has said he’ll go down there and patrol the area while we’re there, making sure these kids are not going to cause any issues.

"We’re hoping we don’t get any trouble and they don’t spoil it for everybody."

Caernarfon Round Table Santa shaking hands with a young visitorCaernarfon Round Table
The Caernarfon Round Table arranges the float through Gwynedd every year in the run-up to Christmas

Mr Jones added that the safety of families joining Santa on the float is his main concern.

"I’d hate to think if someone chucked a stone from the side of the road and it hits one of these kids or Father Christmas waving from the chimney what would happen," he added.

"We do this every year, no matter what the weather, as long as we have these families waiting out on the street for us. When we see the children smiling and in awe that Father Christmas is coming to see them it’s all worth it."

But he warned there could be consequences if Santa is targeted again.

"There are obviously some kids with nothing better to do who try to spoil it for everyone else.

"If they carry on, Father Christmas will put them on the naughty list," he said.

North Wales Police said it had spoken to Santa after getting reports of wet tissues being thrown at his sleigh.

The force said he was helping identify those involved.

A spokesman said: "Those involved will be spoken to by police and risk being added to the naughty list."