EVERY year for the past 30 years David Upton has played Santa for the people of Portland. He doesn’t arrive in town in the traditional way, wearing a jolly red suit or sitting in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, but rather, riding a Honda ST1300.

He tows a ‘Santa Claus’ trailer overflowing with gifts, hooked onto his own motorbike trailer and, following behind, 100 or so likeminded bikers bearing more surprises for the children of families here who might otherwise miss out each Christmas.