In what has been described as an early Christmas miracle, the community showed the true spirit of the season when a massive operation was mobilised after heartless thieves stole the wheels from Santa’s sleigh less than 24 hours before he was due to arrive.  

Having organised the event to spread some socially distanced Christmas cheer, Newtownbutler Community Development Association (CDA) put out a call for help on Facebook on Saturday after the theft was discovered. The community sprung into action, and what followed was straight off a script for a feel-good festive film. 

“When we asked for help, the community were really there for us,” said CDA chairman Paul McLoughlin. “I don’t know how many offers of wheels we had.” 

However, it quickly became clear that Santa’s special sleigh needed special wheels, more like a wheelbarrow, which threw an elve’s spanner in the works. That did not deter the locals, though. 

“The next thing we had offers of people offering to take their wheelbarrows apart to offer them to us,” he said. “People were also sending us photos of go-karts and offering those wheels.”