47 Santas didn't fool doorstaff

It's not every day that Santa Claus is deemed a security threat, but then again after a few brews, in a dimly-lit bar, he could possibly be mistaken for Osama Bin Laden, thanks to that famous facial growth.

Perhaps that was one of the things that went on in the minds of the doorstaff at O'Neill's Irish Bar in Peter-borough who refused entry to 47 dubious-looking Santas "for security reasons".

And, to their credit, the doorstaff's suspicions proved to be right. The would-be Santas were indeed impostors ­ 47 members of the Peterborough Rugby Club who were deep undercover seeking donations for charity!

Snifter just had to ask Phil Elmer, one of the Santas and rugby club chairman, to explain: "Here you had 47 rugby players dressed as Father Christmas walking round the town all night collecting money for children's charities.

"The policemen were laughing at them and everyone was having fun, but they weren't allowed into the bar because they were deemed to be a security risk.

"We're not angry or anything and we haven't made a complaint but we just thought it was so funny."

But a spokeswoman for O'Neill's said: "For security reasons we ask all customers to remove head gear before entering the outlet. It is because of security for CCTV.

"O'Neill's in Peterborough has a responsibility for the safety and security of our customers.

"If our management had been given prior warning that the Peterborough Rugby Club would be collecting for charity that evening, arrangements for entry would have been made.

"However, due to the large size of the group, the fact that their faces were covered and the pub being very busy, our management took the decision to refuse entry inside unless the group removed their gear."

Well, in an age of security paranoia, Snifter would agree, but surely they should have asked for ID ­ bah, humbug!