Santa bend himself into shape in Muswell Hill

Santa sweated and stretched to prepare for his Christmas deliveries at a special yoga class raising money for an autism school last Saturday.

When Tom de Croz isn’t donning red robes and a hat, he teaches at TreeHouse School in Woodside Avenue, Muswell Hill, which is run by the charity Ambitious About Autism.

More than 25 people, aged five to 65, joined him to raise �100 at a Santa Cupcakes And Tea fundraiser at St John’s Parish Centre in Friern Barnet Road.

Organiser Cathy Underwood said yoga was suitable for all shapes and sizes – and even Father Christmas was surprisingly supple.

“Santa did some good backbends. It was a lot of fun.

“We had some musical postures to Christmas tunes and then we all tucked into some lovely cupcakes.”

Mrs Underwood, who runs Yoga4mums, teaches yoga at TreeHouse twice a week.