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All the signs pointed to a touching Christmas moment when a little girl met Santa at Middlesbrough’s Cleveland Centre .

When the youngster, wearing her festive hat and eyes alive with excitement, sat on Father Christmas’ knee, the beaming smile on her face said it all.

But when she came to communicate with him, the magic really started.

For in a scene almost straight from Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street, Santa and his little pal started conversing in sign language.

In the video, the girl’s mum is heard telling Santa: “Sorry, she can’t talk very well.”

When Santa asks for more detail, mum replies: “Yeah, she does animals and things like that.”

What happens next, with Santa tapping her arm to get the girl’s attention before using sign language, is surely enough to melt even the coldest heart.

Read more 10 places in the Teesside area to meet Father Christmas this year

The amazing moment happened at about 1pm yesterday, when the Middlesbrough centre was packed with Christmas shoppers.

Within hours of the video being posted on YouTube, thousands of people had watched it.

And of those who viewed it, almost all were completely enchanted, with comments ranging from “This is heartmeltingly awesome - Santa is real and alive in the hearts of good people” to “This just warmed my heart. Happy holidays everyone.”

And on the Cleveland Centre Facebook page, shoppers were similarly moved, with one post reading: “Wow, speechless. Miracle in Cleveland Centre, never mind 34th Street. Absolutely amazing.”

A Cleveland Centre spokesman told the Gazette: “We believe the Cleveland Centre Santa is real and this truly shows the magic and spirit of Christmas, just like Miracle on 34th Street.

“Santa wants to make sure every child who visits really does experience what this time of year is all about. Santa will take his time with each and every child and will try and put a smile on their faces.

“Santa has been coming to the Cleveland Centre for four years now and this has got to the most truly amazing few minutes we have experienced.”

• Was it your little girl who experienced the magic? Email news@gazettemedia.co.uk or call 01642 234255.