EXCITED youngsters waiting to see Father Christmas at a town’s festive lights switch-on were left gobsmacked when Batman rocked up instead.
Families had flocked to the event in Telford, Shropshire expecting the usual visit from Father Christmas only to be greeted by a parish councillor in a full superhero get-up.
Mum-of-two Gabby Wilkinson, 39, said her daughters were disenchanted with the replacement act.
She fumed: “My two girls were gutted. There’s always been Santa in previous years.”
“But to get Batman instead is just a bit bizarre and not very festive.
“They could have gone for another Christmas character – but who decided on Batman?
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“I know he does a lot of good charity work in Telford and I’m not knocking the bloke in the slightest but Batman is just not very Christmas-y is he?”
The big winter lights switch-on took place on November 23 in Telford, Shropshire’s largest town.
Unfortunately, the appearance of the Joker’s archenemy was not the only disappointment of the night.
One dad confessed: “It wasn’t the best organised Christmas event I’ve ever been to but the Batman thing I found quite funny to be honest.”
Parents also moaned the lights were switched on too early, the rides and food were too pricey, and the entertainment dragged on for too long.
A meeting of Donnington and Muxton Parish Council later heard how “disappointed” kids had been after Mr Claus was mysteriously missing from the bash.
Officials said the new events officer had been “thrown in at the deep end” and given just six days to pull everything together.
Council member Ava Clarkson insisted she had been “executing someone else’s plan,” which might explain the random Batman appearance.
She told councillors: “We didn’t have a Santa this year, but I’ve already booked one for next year.”
Her report admitted Saint Nick’s absence was a “significant disappointment” for children.
The officer has presented the council with a list of changes that she plans to make for next year’s big gathering.
The Dark Knight in question was parish councillor Jay Gough, a former soldier who’s spent six years donning the cape and mask for community and charity events.
Known locally as Telford’s Batman, he once said: “Telford needs a Batman.
He said: “One day I was just scrolling through my phone and I came across a video of a chap who made his own Batman suit, and how he does school visits and charity events
“I suddenly I just thought – I’ve got to do this, I need to do it.
“I’m sure people thought ‘who’s this nutter?’”