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Hundreds of poorly and disabled children and young adults have been able to visit Santa鈥檚 grotto this year thanks to a business couple.

Callum and Nikki McKeefery said they were inspired to create their own grotto by their five-year-old son Hudson, who has special needs.

They spent tens of thousands of pounds and six months transforming a building in Leicester city centre into an accessible grotto for children and their families who might otherwise miss out on a visit to see Santa.

So far around 800 people have visited the grotto, free of charge, and that should reach around 1,000 by its last day this Thursday.

The couple run Reviews.io which is used by thousands of brands to build customer review scores, and employs around 100 people in its home town of Leicester.

Callum said the grotto 鈥� run by volunteers with places pre-booked online 鈥� stems back to having to ask his uncle to dress up as Santa for Hudson because taking him to a normal grotto would have been too distressful.

The 44-year-old and 27-year-old Nikki decided to do-it-themselves after buying a former Dorothy Perkins unit in Leicester鈥檚 Gallowtree Gate when the Arcadia Group went under.

Callum said: 鈥淭he idea is to give children with special needs and their families that bit of normality.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a completely safe space, so there will be nobody there judging the kids if they鈥檙e playing up or taking their time settling in.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just grottos at Christmas, it鈥檚 anywhere 鈥� if you have a child who needs extra support, it鈥檚 difficult to do anything as a family.

鈥淲hat often goes unrecognised is the fact that children with special needs can take longer to get used to new surroundings, so normal grottos don鈥檛 really work for them.

鈥淗aving spent a long-time queuing, the kids are sometimes dashed in and out within minutes.

鈥淲e give Santa the chance to spend longer with the children, which means they can warm up slowly and the parents can enjoy the process.

鈥淥ne of our main aims is to get each visitor a nice photo with Santa 鈥� I know just how much that will mean to the parents.

鈥淪ometimes, perhaps for the first time, they鈥檒l be able to get a festive picture of their child printed and send it to family.

鈥淭hey鈥檒l be able to look back on that photo and have such amazing memories.

鈥淭he parents love it, there are so many tears of joy coming from them. They can share a really special moment with their child without feeling out of control and sometimes judged by others.

鈥淎nd it鈥檚 not just about the children with special needs, it鈥檚 a treat for their siblings too. They could be having a tough time themselves, or they might be needing to help out more at home, they deserve to have just half an hour of normality.鈥�

The couple, who live in the village of Kirby Muxloe, spotted a delay in their son鈥檚 development when he was little and spent years trying to get to the bottom of it.

When he was three, Hudson was diagnosed with an incurable gene-related disease called FDXR (Ferredoxin Reductase), which means he cannot walk, talk, or sit.

Callum said: 鈥淚t was as if someone had punched me in the stomach. It took the wind right out from underneath us.

鈥淚t was incredibly lonely and all of a sudden, it felt as if we were being treated differently. To some, it was as if we were invisible 鈥� people didn鈥檛 know what to say to us anymore.

鈥淗udson is just brilliant, he鈥檚 the happiest of little boys and absolutely loves life. He is the spark behind the grotto.鈥�

Hudson officially opened the grotto on December 1 and each child gets around 15 minutes with Santa 鈥� or more, if necessary 鈥� with the experience is customised to suit their needs.

Callum said: 鈥淪eeing their faces light up, that鈥檚 what makes it all worth it.鈥�

Children leave with presents either bought by Callum and Nikki, and by the Leicestershire-based Menphys charity, which provides services and activities for disabled children.

Callum said spaces are booked up but cancellations might become be available on the website at www.santasinclusiveworkshop.com.