As we approach Christmas and some of us may start to see wintry showers, many of us will be hopeful we will see robins in our gardens. However, our red-breasted friends can be elusive and difficult to lure to our borders.

Earning their trust and loyalty can be even harder if your end goal is to have your feathered friends literallyeating out of your hand. But one man has cracked the code and it is simple. Other than a bit of time and patience - there is one item you can buy for less than £5 that will keep robins coming back and will mean they will swoop the food right out of your hand. Dillon Michael Hancock asked Facebook group UK Bird Lovers, "I'm trying to hand-feed robins with birdseed, but they're not coming to my hand. Help?"

Dave Miller replied: "Suet pellets and trying everyday for about two months for me and my wee friend." You can snap up suet pellets for just £4.95 for 500 grams at Vine House Farm. Miller said that since using the feed he has befriended the robin. He added: "Now he's on my hand several times a day."

Rebecca Moloney agreed that patience is the priceless ingredient needed to truly earn the loyalty of a robin. She said: "It took me 2 months - patience is definitely key. That was one and a half years ago ago and he's still flying in to this day about four or five times a day."

Ark Wildlifesaid that suet pellets are "particularly useful for robins at this time of year because they can help keep reserves topped up."

Christine Blamce also attracted a robin to feed out of her hand with suet pellets. She said: "This robin gets fed every day by me. He loves the berry suet pellets. This morning l went out as usual with a handful of them.

"He was about six inches from my face on the branch of a tree and he started to quietly sing to me. He didn't rush to eat. He just softly sang and I have to say I found this tiny little action so incredibly emotional. "

You will be even more likely to attract returning robins to your garden if you provide them with shelter in your gardens. However they are particular about what kind of shelter they like.

Lucy Taylor of Vine House Farm Bird Foods, said: "Bird boxes put up in gardens fulfil two important roles. The first is of course to provide suitable nesting habitat, and often in place of ever-dwindling natural nest sites like holes in trees.

"Unlike other garden bird species, robins have two clear requirements. First, the nest box must be open-fronted, and second, it needs to be fairly well concealed - for instance, in a climber against a wall - for the robin to want to use it."