Prankster Santa arrested after scaling Glasgow statue

One man is definitely going on Santa's naughty list this year after posing as the famous Christmas figure and getting himself arrested for scaling a statue in Glasgow's Royal Exchange Square.

The 51-year-old fake Santa caused a stir after he was seen being bundled into a police van this afternoon following a stunt where he climbed onto the top of the city's cone headed Duke of Wellington statue and started waving to gathering crowds below.

STV reporter Laura Forsyth managed to capture the prankster's festively-timed escapades on camera and posted a vine to Twitter.

As police tried to talk 'Santa' down off the statue, and before the fire brigade arrived with ladders to get the man down, the public took to Twitter to comment on the prank.

The Santa imposter reportedly climbed on top of the statue as part of demonstration by a group campaigning for the rights of children and parents separated from each other, according to STV.