Amy Winehouse has been secretly dating the man who played Father Christmas at her hotel in St Lucia, according to reports.

The singer, who has spent the whole festive season on the Caribbean island, is said to have grown “extremely close” to the man, known locally as Matt.

“He seems to be really easy going and funny, which Amy loves. She seems smitten,” a source told the Sun newspaper.

“She slopes off with him whenever she can and they have been inseparable since meeting.

“They are about the same age and from what everyone has seen there is no doubt they have hit it off. Amy follows him around like an elf.”

Winehouse has been pictured looking healthier than ever during her holiday, which is designed to help her overcome her addiction problems.

The source added that Winehouse was currently “extremely content”.

“The whole thing has people in stitches because Amy has gone from Blake [Fielder-Civil] the crackhead to Santa Claus — they couldn’t be more different."

As previously reported on Gigwise, Winehouse’s former personal assistant claimed last weekend that the singer once spent £3,500 a week on drugs.

Alex Haines also told the News of the World newspaper that the singer suffered from the eating disorder, bulimia.

Amy Winehouse in St Lucia