HANDWRITTEN letters to Santa stole the show in the best dressed window competition at Marlow's late night shopping event.

Wiiners Whittards, in Marlow High Street, displayed letters from pupils at Beechview Primary School in High Wycombe.

Shop manager Katie Guy, 19, of Beaumont Rise, Marlow, said: "I am sure they helped us to win the late night shopping competition last Thursday.

"We were really surprised at what the children had asked for though, they all wanted laptops and those handheld Nintendo DS consoles and Playstations. They are only five."

The festive display was designed by the shop's Saturday assistants Eliyse Lanrish, 17, from High Wycombe and Faye Twinam, 16, of Wycombe Road, Marlow.

It featured a 1kg Lindt chocolate Santa popping out from a chimney made of display plinths, next to a post box, and the children's letters surrounded by sugar canes and Lindt chocolate reindeer and snowmen.

It is the first time the shop has won the Marlow and District Chamber of Trade award.

It was awarded the Chamber's shield and a bottle of champagne, which was shared among the staff during a Christmas night out at Pizza Express in Marlow on Saturday.

Second place went to Huttons gift shop in Marlow High Street and joint third place went to House and Gardens, Marlow High Street and Sunrise Health and Beauty salon, West Street, Marlow.

Jo Braybrooke, former Chamber president, said: "The competition was very close and the standard very high this year."