Naughty elves will be visiting Bedfordshire gardens to collect letters to Santa

Children are in for a treat this Christmas as the Elftastic Experience launches in Bedfordshire.

Families can book a surprise from two naughty elves who will make their way into your garden to collect letters for Father Christmas and take them back to the North Pole.

However, you better watch out and you'd better not cry - because the elves might get up to mischief in your back yard!

Franchisee Josie Derland, 24, said: "Two cheeky elves will sneak into your garden to collect your letters for Santa.

"They will play and explore before noticing that your family has been watching through the window the whole time!

"Then they will the come and make a mess on your windows, use silly string, squirty cream - it's just lots of fun. A lot of the time the kids don't know it's coming."

Josie and her partner Mike Deeley, 26, run the Elftastic Experience across Beds, Bucks, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex, with Josie herself hailing from Bedfordshire.

The company was founded by Jan Hayes, based in Liverpool, who has written a book called 'Wishing on a Washing Line for Christmas', which families can purchase as part of the experience.

Josie explained: "In the story book, it's going to be the 'snowiest snow' and all the letters for Santa are getting lost. He decides it's going to be easier to send the elves through a magical teleporter to appear out of nowhere in people's gardens and collect the post."

Last year, Josie played an elf for the company and fell in love with the role, before deciding to become a franchisee this year.

She and Mike have a team of 12 elves who will travel round the counties causing mayhem.

Josie said: "We've had a really successful first weekend and lots of lovely comments online. People are asking if they can book again!

"It just melts my heart to see the children's faces and I'm really looking forward to the rest of the month.

"Looking round, the children are like 'What's going on - they're playing on my slide and trampoline?'

"They love the magic of it, which is so important, especially after the last couple of years."

A visit from the Elftastic Experience costs £25, which also includes sweets for three children (although customers are welcome to bring their own or add extra for £2.)

The event is Covid-safe, as the elves sanitise before every appointment and the event is non contact as the family stay indoors. However, if you wish, there is a meet and greet option for £35.

The Elftastic Experience will run every weekend in December (and during the school holiday weekdays) until December 24.

They elves can't wait to say hello to you - although you better learn their language - as they communicate in squeaks and "sound like Sooty and Sweep!"

To find out more, visit: https://www.elftasticwish.co.uk/