South Shields boy's letter on its way to Father Christmas thanks to postman Trevor

Ewan Thompson hands his letter to Santa to postman Trevor Brown so he can help deliver it.

The nine-year-old, from Cleadon Park, South Shields, insisted family friend and postman Trevor Brown  took hold of his letter to ensure it reached Father Christmas.

The Mortimer Primary School pupil’s list is now on its way to the workshop ready for Christmas Day –just 24 hours after Ewan marks his 10th birthday.

Mum Emma, 39, a childminder, said: “Trevor lives just around the corner and we’ve known him for years.

“He’s fantastic with kids and he’s got his own grandchildren and Ewan absolutely loves him.

“Ewan had written his Christmas list, but then he said he didn’t want to put it in the postbox.

“He said he wanted to get to Santa by giving it to Trevor, because he knows him, and that was that.

“I sent him a message through Facebook to ask him.

“We have some surprises for his birthday, but his list was quite long for Christmas and he spent quite a lot of time writing it.

“He’s asked for a mini cash machine, a mini claw machine, like the ones you get at the fair, and a few toys, but he has also asked for some gold LED shoes that light up.

“Ewan really didn’t want his list to go missing, and he trusts Trevor.”

Emma, who is married to James, 60, who runs car repair firm Carbon Detox Solutions, and is also mum to Olivia, 17, and Alicia, 16, has sent her thanks to Trevor for his help.

Trevor, who lives in Cleadon Vale, has worked for the Royal Mail delivery team for almost 30 years.

The 49-year-old grandfather-of-five, who is based at the company’s delivery office in West Walpole Street, said: “I was taken aback when I heard the story.

“I’ve known Ewan for a lot of years and I thought it was absolutely fantastic.

“I was so humbled to do it for him, for him to say ‘I’m not putting it in the post box, I want Trev to do it’.

“I think he must think I have some kind of one-to-one with Santa himself, but it’s all done and sorted, it’s gone through the system and it’s got to the right place.”

Ewan’s effort to get his note to Father Christmas ahead of Monday was not part of the Royal Mail’s arrangement to send back a letter from his grotto in Reindeerland.

Lists had to be sent by December 8 to reach it in time.