PENGUINS homed in from the other side of the Equator and Thomas the Tank Engine steamed in from his fictitious Isle of Sodor in the Irish Sea to turn St Helens town centre into a winter wonderland.

Children, mums and dads and grandparents enjoyed the festive atmosphere, rides on Thomas and a close-up look at those endearing aquatic creatures from the southern hemisphere, one of the many town centre attractions in the run up to Christmas.