THE Love Looe brand, a campaign to get more shoppers and visitors into the town, is hoping to launch a 'Santas have invaded Looe' theme for the festive season.

The colourful Santa feature around the town is in support of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership's special Christmas shopping trains to Looe on the Fridays of December 13 and 20.

Passengers will be offered vouchers from local businesses offering discounts while shopping in the town for the day.

Andy Parrott, from Purely Cornish, has been busy around the town asking traders if they would like to be involved with the shopping trains and has reported a good response to the initiative.

Businesses and residents are, meanwhile, being encouraged to enter into the Santa fun by placing Santas somewhere on their properties.

The acting chairman of Love Looe, tourist information centre manager Mark Camp, said: 'I see it as a sort of "Santasia" for Looe, with Santa's everywhere.'

His suggestions include Santa's red trouser legs and black boots hanging out of windows to make it look like he is climbing in; Santa's head and shoulders on rooftops or peeking around the sides of houses; and any other imaginative ideas people can come up with, including figures in shop windows and doorways.