Watch as St Mark's Church in Portadown hosts Santa's Grotto in the Tower Christmas experience

Many hours of hard work have gone into transforming the landmark town centre church building into a magical Christmas experience, complete with Santa’s grotto high up in the tower.

The thought behind the new festive experience within the beautiful church was to create a Santa’s grotto visit that is affordable to families, especially at a time of year when many already may be facing difficult financial circumstances.

There is a charge of £5 for the first child in each family and £3 for every other child in the family meaning a visit by two adults and three children costs just £11 in total to enjoy a very memorable and unique Christmas experience.

Funds raised will go towards St Mark’s Building Fund.

And while admission is much more affordable than many commercial grotto visits, that certainly doesn’t mean it is any less magical.

Families step in through the Church Street side door of the church to find the porch fully decorated with festive lights. They then go through the door into the church to the registration desk and the start of the Candy Cane Lane trail.

It’s then through the archway into the main body of the church where the Candy Cane Lane Trail continues. Children can stop to colour in a Christmas-themed picture and write a letter to Santa. Then, they follow the Candy Cane Lane down the main aisle to the archway of lights and stars. Through the archway into the main porch and up the secret spiral staircase, lit by starlight to Santa’s grotto in the tower where they can give Santa their letters and receive a storybook. Then down the main staircase to the main porch where the children can get a chocolate coin and a candy cane before leaving.

Families need to book ahead with details being posted on St Mark’s Facebook page as new dates are released. Dates to visit the Grotto in the Tower can be found and booked on Eventbrite by searching “Santa’s Grotto in the Tower”.