ONE of Britain's leading tourist attractions has come under fire for a hellish Christmas grotto featuring elves impaled on spikes and robins roasting over an open fire.

The York, London and Edinburgh Dungeons have been criticised by Christians for satanic exhibits.

In the run-up to Christmas, visitors to the three dungeons will be told to have a horrible Christmas and will be presented with a scroll to sign away their souls.

In the centre of the macabre grotto, a horned devil on a throne has replaced Santa.

His sleigh and reindeer have been ousted in favour of a coffin pulled by skeletons.

Children will be asked if they have been bad little boys and girls instead of good, and actors will distribute fake severed fingers instead of sweets.

Colin Hart, the director of the Christian Institute, is trying to persuade Edinburgh City Council to ban the alternative festivities. He said: "Glorifying and promoting the occult as a Christmas attraction is not only very tasteless but sad and very dangerous."

Merlin Entertainments Group Limited, which owns the dungeons as well as Sealife centres, defended its attractions.

York Dungeon boss Helen Douglas said: "We are not out to offend anyone, just to provide some welcome relief from an experience many people find even scarier than anything we have here at the dungeon. It is just the way the dungeon celebrates Christmas."

The shows will open on December 13.