LEARNING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT SARAH, DUCHESS OF YORK BRINGS SOME SEASONAL JOY TO BURNLEY ON A BUSY DAY OF VISITS

It's the time of year when giving is more important than receiving - and it was a message that Sarah, Duchess of York took to heart on a visit to Burnley.

- LAURA BENJAMIN

Spreading Christmas cheer ahead of 25 December, Sarah had an action-packed diary of events, visiting two primary schools, a university, a football club, a community kitchen and lunch club, and a mosque.

Her trademark enthusiasm was on show when she delivered a Christmas gift to every child at Burnley's Holy Trinity Primary School, joining a singalong of Go Tell It on the Mountain before being presented with home-made Christmas cards from the pupils.

WARM WELCOME

"What a wonderful school community," she said. "Staff and pupils could not have been more welcoming and I loved sharing some Christmas presents from my charity Sarah's Trust.