Is this Britain's grottiest Santa's grotto?

Winter Wonderland this ain’t; what has been branded Britain’s most depressing Santa’s Grotto has been spotted in the corner of a supermarket.

Fashioned optimistically from bedsheets and a trolley, the grotto costs a handsome £2 to visit at Tesco Leytonstone, east London.

A visit to the grotto gets you some facetime with Santa amid piles of cotton wool snow, and a present from a milk trolley.

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Shoppers who noticed the cavern posted a picture of it on Facebook, where Christmas fans have been quick to brand it ‘disappointing’ and ‘depressing’.

Cat Hall-Jones, 25, spotted the shelter on her way to buy a turkey for Christmas dinner.

She said: “At first I thought it was a shelter for the homeless over the festive period. Then I realised they were charging – it’s so disappointing.”

Boyfriend Joe Roberts posted the picture to a London community Facebook and said: “Tesco, Leytonstone. Two pound? Nah, you’re alright Santa.”

Commenters on the page blasted the “grim” grotto, and said Christmas had been “destroyed in one picture”.

James Grimward said: “That’s where Christmas goes to die.” Marty Thornton added: “Feeling all depressed looking at this.”

But these grinchy commenters may soon eat their words after it transpires that the makeshift wonderland is in fact a charity project.

A Tesco spokesperson explained, “This grotto has been built by young volunteers from the Police Cadets who are raising money for a number of charities.

“We are always happy to welcome charities and community groups into our stores and we’d like to thank the Police Cadets for all their efforts.”

The Cadets are raising money for Diabetes UK, British Heart Foundation, and a charity for individuals with a rare blood disorder.