ALES, France: A candy-giving exercise by a Santa Claus in southern France turned sour when a group of greedy teenagers kicked him to the ground and beat him up for not handing over his sack of sweets, police said on Tuesday.

The man, dressed up as Father Christmas to hand out the candy to children in the centre of the town of Ales on the weekend, was set upon when he refused to give more sweets to one of the youths.

The teenager and his friends, all aged around 15, kicked and pummeled the man until they were scared off by passers-by.

Officers said Father Christmas suffered multiple bruising and had lodged a criminal complaint.

I HOPE YOU LITTLE BASTARDS GET A BAG OF COAL