Two Derby children win 'priceless' opportunity to test Christmas toys for Santa

Two Derby children have landed a 'dream job' of toy testers for Santa Claus who is thought to be incredibly busy and who appreciates all the help he can get!

They put toys through paces and had tonnes of fun during the most wonderful time of the year, thanks to a competition run by The Entertainer.

The independent toy retailer that has a large store in Derbion shopping centre launched a search across Derby, to find two children aged 10 and under to become toy testers.

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After receiving more than 600 entries from families across Derby, Harriet Tomlinson, aged 8, and Emilia Orridge, aged 5 have been announced as the city’s two winners.

Harriet and Emilia fulfilled their toy tester duties on Saturday, December 9, when they visited The Entertainer’s Derbion store to play with an array of this year’s most popular toys during an out-of-hours, exclusive in-store experience.

During the money-can't-buy session, the two lucky children tested a selection of this year’s most sought-after toys including the Bitzee Digital Interactive Pet, and Pitter Patter Pets Walk Along Puppy.

They then had to give their expert opinion to Santa himself via a special festive feedback form. 

Harriet and Emilia’s opinions on the toys they tested are currently on the way to the North Pole to Santa himself, so he can make sure that the very best toys are delivered to children around the world on Christmas Eve.

As well as winning the opportunity to become The Entertainer’s toy testers, Harriet and Emilia also received a £50 gift card to spend in-store or online.

Their gifted goodie bag also featured some of the toys they tested and loved during the festive-filled experience.

Vikky Congiu, manager at The Entertainer’s Derbion store, said: “We are absolutely delighted to announce Harriet and Emilia as Derby’s very own toy testers.

“It was truly heart-warming to see the joy and wonder on their faces as they enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime in-store experience.

“We loved receiving their toy expertise which we know will be very valuable to Father Christmas!

 “At The Entertainer, we’re committed to spreading festive cheer and creating special memories.

“This unique experience embodies the joy of Christmas and has created lasting memories for the young toy enthusiasts and their families.”

 Emilia’s dad, James Orridge, said: “This truly is a dream come through for Emilia! 

“As parents, seeing the excitement on her face when we found out she won this fantastic opportunity was priceless. 

“Emilia had the best day fulfilling her toy tester duties for Santa, and it certainly added an extra special layer of festive spirit to our family’s Christmases.”