CHILDREN from all over Lancashire will be filing two by two into Blackpool Zoo this weekend for a massive church service with a difference.

Around 600 children and their parents will take part in the Millennium year "Big Event for Little People" which will take the theme of Noah's Ark on Saturday.

The service, normally held at Blackburn Cathedral, will feature the ark built by Mr and Mrs Noah and filled with balloon animals and will end with a tour around the zoo.

Mary Binks, children's work adviser to the Blackburn Diocese, said: "This will be a very big event indeed. We wanted to do something extra special for the Millennium to open the event out a bit." The idea to use the zoo came from Rev Michael Manley, Vicar of Blackpool's St John's Church.

The zoo's Tony Williams said: "We are delighted the Blackburn Diocese has chosen Blackpool Zoo and we are now strengthening our links with the church and talking to a local priest about the possibility of appointing a zoo chaplain."

IT will be a white Christmas this year at Blackpool Zoo after Santa Claus arrived this week -- complete with his own supply of real snow straight from the North Pole.

Santa will be staying in a specially-built indoor log cabin with all the home comforts of his home in Lapland. Visitors who meet him in his fireside parlour will experience a genuine snowfall outside the cabin.

There is also a breathtaking "Walk in the Air" snowman ride on the zoo's state-of-the-art simulator and a cuddly toy shop.

Every child visiting Santa's cabin will get a free gift and all the animals will be out and about in their winter quarters to welcome visitors, too.