Tributes to Darwen's very own Santa Claus and 'beloved' toy shop owner

Tributes have poured in for a 'beloved' toy shop owner who was Darwen's very own Santa Claus for many years.

After leaving school, Denis worked in the textile industry for a year before joining the RAF for the National Service, where a lot of his work took place near Inverness in Scotland. After returning from the service, Denis rejoined the textile industry and ignited his passion for football and music, with church music a "massive part of his life".

Alongside his passion for sports and music, Craig had an eclectic career working in the textile industry and other odd jobs before he bought a shop a lot of people in Darwen will remember from their childhoods - the Old & New Editions toy shop. Denis bought the premises in 1988, which was initially at the bottom of Bolton Road for around four years before it moved to Bridge Street.

"He did a catalogue and they came in and paid their £1 a week or whatever it was for the toys and then he delivered them all on Christmas Eve, so he used to dress up as Santa Claus in his work van and drive around all the houses delivering them."

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