THE popular “Santa in the Woods ” event in Langdon Hills has been cancelled, Thurrock Council has confirmed.

It usually attracts up to 3,000 people to the country park, bu t the council says it will not be hosting it this year.

There were rumour as far back as March that the event would be cancelled this Christmas after the park budget was halved.

However, residents held out hope as far as the beginning of this month it would still go ahead.

Volunteers pointed out the event makes a profit for the council every year and maintained there was no reason for it to be shelved.

A spokesman for the council said: “Following financial constraints across the council, and subsequent staff reductions within the environment department, unfortunately we will not be hosting a Santa in the Woods Christmas event at Langdon Hills Country Park this year .”

Three rangers out of five were axed in February, and a children’s educational officer was also lost when the council announced cuts following a reduction in its grant from the Government.

Ken Rogers, 73, of Lampitts Hill, a member of the Friends of Langdon Hills group, said: “It’ s absolutely terrible. We are all so disappointed about it.

“The strange thing is we used to makeaprofit from it for the council and all the volunteers used to run it for free.

“We can’t understand why they would cut it.”

Resident Nicole Davis, 54, of Dalmeny, Langdon Hills, said: “They have taken away everything that children would do in our woods .

“What else is there now fo r children to do?

“Santa in the Woods wasafantastic way to introduce children to nature.

“They all used to dress up and then go into the woods, re-enacting Grimms’ fairytales.

“One Thurrock mother said, ‘How are my kids going to learn what the different trees are?’ “Seeing as it used to be run by volunteers, people are wondering why it has been cancelled.

“They got rid of our educational officer. We haven’t been able to keep anything for the kids at all.

“Losing Santa in the Woods was really the last straw."