A FIRST class response from Father Christmas delivered the perfect surprise to a young brother and sister.

When Vicki Mottram posted a letter from her three-year-old daughter, Katie, to "Father Christmas at The North Pole" into the letter box, she thought the correspondence might be at an end.

Instead, days later, separate letters arrived with "Reindeer Land" postmarks to Katie and her little brother Jamie, aged five months.

Inside was a card from Santa himself!

Vicki said: "Katie was delighted. She believed in Father Christmas before -- looking up the chimney every day to remind him where he lives -- but this has put the rubber stamp on it."

The youngster, who attends Masefield Nursery, Little Lever, had dictated the initial letter to Father Christmas to her mother who wrote it all down.

Vicki said: "We sat down together and I wrote it for her. She signed it herself, and then asked me to put a PS at the bottom saying: 'Mummy said Jamie has been good as well'.

"She then insisted I put a stamp on the letter and we posted it. I did not expect to hear anything back -- as the North Pole is so far away -- and posted it just to keep her quiet.

"Whoever is responsible for sending these letters on behalf of Santa is doing a great job. There must be thousands of letters sent by children to Father Christmas, and to send something back from the man himself is lovely."

A Royal Mail spokesman told the BEN, on behalf of Santa: "We deal every year in the UK with three quarters of a million letters to Santa Claus.

"As long as they are stamped and contain inside the full name and address of the child writing to him, Father Christmas insists on replying.

"But he does say that all letters to him must be posted before December 14 because after that time he is too busy getting presents together.

"His real address is: Santa Claus or Father Christmas, at Reindeer Land, SAN TA1.

"If children put down the wrong -- yet plausible address -- such as Father Christmas in Iceland, we unfortunately have an obligation to try to find that address and the letter will automatically end up in Iceland, without the great man ever having a chance to see it."