IT'S the Christmas deal to beat them all, to be sure - a return flight from Bournemouth to Dublin for only £1.

What better excuse do you need to hop over to the Emerald Isle and take full advantage of the strong pound to snap up bargain Christmas presents in one of Europe's most vibrant capitals.

The low fare is being offered to passengers travelling to Dublin between now and December 19, the perfect time to do last-minute festive shopping and soak up the city's unique atmosphere.

And the exchange rate means that goods priced at £100 can be bought for the British currency equivalent of £70.

Ryanair's Enda O'Toole said: "Now is a great time to go with the pound so strong. Dublin has one of the most vibrant scenes in Europe, and now is the perfect time to come across and do Christmas shopping."

The flight deal can only be booked through the internet site: www.ryanair.com

Mr O'Toole said: "We want to get people familiar with our internet site, which is visited by 100,000 people every week. We want to show people how easy it is to book on-line."

The return flights cost £1, plus taxes (approximately £18.50), and must be for a minimum of one night, up to a maximum stay of 14 days.

Flights from Bournemouth can be booked until midnight on December 11 with travel completed by December 19. And the deal is for flights on every day of the week except for travel on either Fridays or Sundays.

Sandra Hart, marketing executive at Bournemouth International Airport, said: "Dublin is popular all year round, as it is a very lively, cosmopolitan destination with festivals and shopping.

"The cost of eating out is reasonable and so is the accommodation, although I would recommend people book something before they arrive."

Accommodation can be booked at both Bournemouth and Dublin airports.