Elf ‘sprays family with mace at Santa’s grotto’ after they pay to see Father Christmas

AN elf is facing assault charges after cops claim she sprayed a family with mace when they came to visit Santa's Grotto.

Elsie Brooks says she took her three-year-old daughter to see Father Christmas on Tuesday night at a shopping centre in Winston-Salem, in the US.

She told the elf got irate when her mother and grandmother approached and took some pictures.

The angered helper allegedly shouted: "You need to get behind the line! You need to get behind the line ma'am, you can't be past that line."

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The family yelled back, and then took some pictures of the company name, and also of the elf, so they could make an official complaint.

This was when the helper, who has been identified as Shannon Watkins, sprayed them with mace.

The family then went to get security.

Winston-Salem police have charged Watkins with simple assault.