Get ready to welcome Santa as he prepares to arrive in Scarborough this Saturday

Santa Claus is getting ready to make his way down from the North Pole in time to arrive at the town’s harbour on Saturday.

As per tradition, Father Christmas will arrive by fishing boat opposite the Harbour Bar at 10.30am.

Staff from Boyes, who will be in fancy dress, will be ready to give him a warm welcome as he steps off the boat and escort him to the store on Queen Street.

There Santa will settle in his Christmas grotto – officially open from 12 o’clock – where he will be able to greet children every day until 5pm on Christmas Eve.

The department store’s Christmas window display will be available to see until Christmas.

The event is one of the town’s most popular traditions.

Every year thousands of people gather at the harbour to celebrate the arrival of Father Christmas and catch a glimpse of Santa while he parades up Eastborough towards the store.

Boyes manager Chris Golder said: “We look forward to it. It’s the first Christmas event in Scarborough and in a way it’s like the launch of the festive season because everything else is planned around it.”

The arrival of Santa will be followed by the town’s Christmas lights switch-on event on Sunday.