Petite actress Roxanne Pallett was left glowing redder than Rudolph's nose when she was almost flattened by a toppling reindeer.
* Click here for latest YEP showbiz news.The mini 5ft something ex-soap star, who played farmer's wife Jo Sugden in Emmerdale, had been switching on the Christmas lights at the White Rose Centre on Monday when a giant cut-out of the famous festive animal came crashing down on her.
The 26-year-old had stepped out in front of 14,500 people who crowded into the shopping centre's atrium to pull a christmas bauble dangling around the neck of Rudolph.
On went the red and white lights, but down went a shocked Roxanne as she struggled under the weight of the centre's prop.
Thankfully she saw the funny side and emerged unruffled.
An amused onlooker said: "Roxanne had to pull a bauble which triggered the lights but it was badly placed and it fell towards her.
"Someone stepped in when the reindeer was half way down but she was taking most of its weight.
"She didn't fall over but she panicked a bit and was quite embarrassed."
Peter Cook, centre director, said that Rudolph had been exiled back to the North Pole after his antics.
"Roxanne was cool about the whole thing and stayed to sign autographs.
"It was just a matter of Rudolph falling for her charms!"
A firework display followed the switch on, which marked the start of
extended festive season shopping hours at the centre.
The outdoor lights show attracted its biggest crowd to date.
* For more details visit:
www.white-rose.co.uk or call (0113) 2291234.
