Northern Ireland

Mournes cafe overwhelmed by Christmas elf response

Carrick Cottage in the Mournes
Carrick Cottage in the Mournes Carrick Cottage in the Mournes

A CAFE'S search for Christmas elves to help Santa has been halted after a surge in applications.

Set at the foot of the Mournes near Annalong, Carrick Cottage advertised for singing and dancing elves to work leading up to the Christmas holidays.

The traditional Irish cottage cafe posted its festive appeal on Facebook this week.

It plans to have Santa visit and meet schoolchildren from the area in December and asked for "a few enthusiastic elves to help him with all his work".

"Elves will be singing, dancing and entertaining kids in Santa's tipi tent."

Boys and girls aged 12 to 16 would be required to help four hours a night. But such was the demand that the search was halted after just a few hours, manager Rachael Harrison said.

"This is our first year doing Santa and we are going to have sleigh rides and a tipi tent. We already have about 200 children booked in and primary schools," she said.

"I put a post up asking for elves at about 3pm and by about 6pm I had about 30 people. I only have about three or four slots. I'm delighted to have received such great interest."

Ms Harrison said she would contact applicants after the Halloween holidays "to arrange elf auditions".

"There are so many children with such talent. I'm going to bring them up to the house and we will play a bit of music and sing songs, it will be good fun."