Thank you for making Christmas special for thousands of children

Over 3,500 children will get a Christmas treat tomorrow - thanks to you!

- by Tom Patterson

Gazette readers have again given tremendous backing to our annual Toy Appeal-run in partnership with children's charity Hope 4 Kidz - and will make Christmas Day special for youngsters who might otherwise have woken up to nothing.

You have again answered the call to buy an extra present while out Christmas shopping and dropped them off at collection points in the area, and your generosity - at a time when things are hard for many people-has again been staggering.

Viv Watts, chief executive of Hope 4. Kidz, said: "The response to this year's appeal has again been totally overwhelming.

"The generosity of people in our area is amazing."

The charity has delivered the presents to a range of organisations despite the number of volunteers being hit by the flu epidemic and the value of this year's presents has yet to be finalised.