CRIMINAL!

M&S ad’s Santa is a BURGLAR (but Paddington saves the day)

PADDINGTON Bear is the surprise star of Marks & Spencer’s Christmas ad – in which our duffle coat-wearing hero unwittingly turns a crook into Father Christmas.

The chain appears to be taking a leaf out of John Lewis’s book by unveiling an epic TV commercial that’s a heart-warming tale of redemption, timed to coincide with the UK cinema release of Paddington 2. It begins with Paddington dreaming of marmalade only to be woken as a stranger arrives with a thud on his roof on Christmas Eve.

Assuming the bearded man in red is Father Christmas, the little bear – voiced by Ben Whishaw who plays Q in recent Bond films – insists on helping him deliver items from his sack to neighbours in Windsor Gardens. Eventually, the pair peek through a window to see neighbour Alice and her family opening their presents on Christmas morning. ‘Mr Claus’, who is in fact a burglar, is moved to tears as he is handed his own gift of a marmalade sandwich. The redeemed would-be thief thanks the bear with a hug and goes on his way. The plot of the advert, made by agency Grey Advertising London, has been turned into a storybook available in shops and online for £ . All profits will be donated to the NSPCC.

And here’s a gift just for you: Have my sandwich, Santa Santa Flaws: The burglar waves farewell, a lesson learned 9 Fur he’s a jolly good fellow: Hero’s reception 7 8

Present and correct: Paddington unwittingly gets him to return his stolen haul 4

Can I try your sleigh? A rooftop decoration gives the bear the wrong impression 5

Sledge of your seat: A neighbour films the magic 6

You must be Santa! He spots the sack packed with loot 3

2 St Nicked: He wakes to find a tubby stranger on his roof

Paws for thought: Dreaming of marmalade 1