FOR SALE: One life-size reindeer, hardly used, very low maintenance, good with children, all reasonable offers considered.It is one of life's stranger questions, but it is one facing a Suffolk school: What do you do with a stuffed reindeer?Gwen Skelding donated the festive decoration to Heathside Special School hoping they could make some money from auctioning or selling it.

FOR SALE: One life-size reindeer, hardly used, very low maintenance, good with children, all reasonable offers considered.

It is one of life's stranger questions, but it is one facing a Suffolk school: What do you do with a stuffed reindeer?

Gwen Skelding donated the festive decoration to Heathside Special School hoping they could make some money from auctioning or selling it.

She had won the reindeer in a raffle and it had been sitting the spare bedroom of her Martlesham Heath home since last Christmas.

She said: "Last year I entered a draw for Children in Need in a shop in Southwold and the prize was this reindeer.

"We did try to do something with it last year but I won it two weeks before Christmas.

"We telephoned a few hotels to see if they wanted in their foyer and thought they could make a donation to the school but unfortunately they already had their foyer decorations."

Instead Mrs Skedling of Geneva Avenue in Martlesham Heath, decided to donate the whole reindeer to the school.

She added: "I worked with children with special needs for just over 17 years. I worked at the special assessment unit at the hospital. I have always done fundraising for Heathside. The school is always in desperate need of funds for equipment.

"The reindeer is a beautiful thing and it really is too nice to be at home. I hope the school can raise some money from it."

Odran Doran, headteacher at Heathside, said: "It is a fantastic life sized stuffed reindeer but we cannot really use it in a constructive way.

"We want to use it to benefit the school in some way. Someone could use it in a window display or something. We are looking for creative suggestions.

"I would be surprised if someone wanted to buy it out right as the price tag on its tail is £700."

The reindeer is currently living in a cupboard at the school.

Anyone who would like to donate money to the school for the use of the reindeer, or anyone who would like to buy it, should contact Mr Doran on 01473 725508.

Five potential uses for a life-size reindeer:

Hatstand

Lure for real reindeer

Mug tree

Child's seat

Stuffed Santa companion