'Tis the season to be jolly .....

[alfaman]

From BBC News........

Santas accused of street brawl

Thousands of Santas raised money for charity on Sunday
Festive cheer and goodwill was is short supply in Newtown when people dressed as Santa were involved in a mass street brawl, police have revealed.
Officers used CS spray and drew their batons to break up the trouble involving up to 30 people, following Newtown's annual Santa run.

It happened just hours after 4,000 runners donned their Father Christmas suits to raise thousands for charity.

Five people were arrested at the scene for alleged public order offences.

They have all been released on police bail while further inquiries are carried out, Dyfed-Powys Police said on Thursday.

A number of others have been interviewed about their alleged involvement in the incident in the town's Severn Street on Sunday, which happened shortly after 2230 GMT.

There's no way people can link the Santa run to the drunkenness and violence that ensued after the race,

AM Mick Bates

Four officers suffered minor injuries during the scuffle and a total of eight were used to quell the disturbance, said police.

Pc Gareth Slaymaker, community safety officer for north Powys, confirmed that many of those involved in the alleged brawl were still wearing their Santa outfits

"