Troubled singer Amy Winehouse has grown "extremely close" to a Santa Claus.

The 25-year-old 'Rehab' star has reportedly formed a romantic bond with a man named Matt who worked as Santa Claus at the hotel in St. Lucia where the singer is currently on holiday.

A source said: "He seems to be really easy going and funny, which Amy loves.

"She seems smitten. 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 round like an elf."

Despite their increasingly close relationship, Matt is said to be remaining tight-lipped about Amy - who has reportedly consulted divorce lawyers about her marriage to jailed Blake Fielder-Civil - and the pair have gone to great lengths to keep their budding romance under wraps since meeting on the beach last week.

One hotel guest told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "People have asked him what is going on but he seems shy.

"All he says is that Amy is lovely and they get on very well. But everyone thinks there is a lot more to the relationship and have been watching them closely.

"The problem is, whenever they get together, they disappear off on their own.

"The whole thing makes people laugh because Amy has gone from Blake the drug addict to Santa Claus - they couldn't be more different.

"But she seems to be extremely content at the moment and that can only be a good thing."