Santa will take to a petrol-powered giant sleigh next week in a bid to raise thousands of pounds for Sutton charities.

The Cheam Rotary Club's Christmas Float will begin its yearly Christmas fundraising tour on Sunday, December 5.

The float consists of a long wheelbase transit van disguised as Santa's sleigh, complete with Father Christmas himself on top, and will be manned by volunteers virtually everyday in the run-up to Christmas Eve.

Measuring more than six metres long, and three metres high, the sleigh will visit many of the streets around Cheam and adjacent areas, asking residents to donate to local charities.

Last year generous residents gave more than £8,500.

The Cheam rotary Club has gone out fundraising with its float every year for the past 45 years.

Two of the original team will be volunteering again this year, almost a half century on from when they first started.

Residents often arrange for parties to be held on the night that they know the float is visiting.

The planned visitng dates are listed below: Sun 5: Cheam Road Area Mon 6: Abinger Avenue area Tue 7: Shirley Ave area Wed 8: All Saints Road area Thu 9: Wickham Ave area Fri 10: Stoneleigh Ave area Sun 12: Westmead Road area Mon 13: The Ridgeway area Tue 14: York Road area Wed 15: Buckles Way area Thu 16: Kingsbridge Road area Fri 17: Sandy Lane area Sun 19: Colbourne Way area Mon 20: Clarkes Ave area Tue 21: Ridge Road area Wed 22: Sutton Common Road area Thu 23: Churchill Road area Fri 24: Brocks Drive area (afternoon) Fri 24: Wrayfield Road area (evening)