Pay-row elves say Grinch stole their Christmas

Elves who were owed hundreds of pounds by the organisers of a festive event said it felt like "the Grinch stole our Christmas".

Lisa Miller, Amanda Walker and Mandy Jackson were among several people left either partly or completely unpaid after staffing the Naughty Elf Trail at the Winter Wonderland event, in Sunderland, in December.

The women had replied to a social media advert by The Panto Company offering "competitive pay" for "actors who can create magical Elf fun".

The firm's owner blamed delays in receiving payments from the organisation behind Winter Wonderland, Sunderland Live, and after both firms were contacted by the BBC the workers have received their missing wages.

Staged at the Sunderland Live Arena, in Houghton-le-Spring, tickets for the trail cost £22 per child and £11 per adult, the women told the BBC.

Children were given the job of finding Father Christmas' stolen hat as they worked their way through themed rooms with tasks such as painting baubles, fixing toys and sorting letters from naughty and nice lists.

Mrs Walker was owed £360 for three shifts, while Mrs Miller - who played the character of Chief Elf - had not been paid for her final two days' work which amounted to £240.

Mrs Jackson was also owed £240 for two days' work. They said three co-workers had not been paid on time either.

"Kids came in, I told them Santa's hat was missing as a naughty elf had stolen it and they needed to raise Christmas spirit and find it," Mrs Miller, of Darlington, said.

"Christmas Eve and the day before were rammed.

"Some of the people were only 18 or 19 and this was their first job. I know none of them got money for the last two days on time.

"It left a sour note and felt like the Grinch stole our Christmas. Even though it was really hard work, I loved meeting all the kids and having fun."

Mrs Miller, who took on the role ahead of starting a permanent job, said issues began from her second week of employment with her wages arriving later than promised.

She said The Panto Company's owner Matt Lee-Alliston "kept telling her" she would get paid as soon as he got paid by Sunderland Live and that "it had never happened before".

Mr Lee-Alliston and Sunderland Live have both been approached for comment.

Mrs Walker, an actor from Gateshead, said she felt she had been "completely ignored".

"I'm a mother of two so the money would've been a big help at Christmas."

Mrs Jackson, also of Darlington, and who runs a photography studio, said: "Things quieten down over Christmas so the money for the shifts was going to be very handy."

After The Panto Company was contacted by the BBC, Mrs Walker said it had now paid her the missing £360, while Mrs Walker and Mrs Jackson both received £240.

It is understood three other workers have also received payments.

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