THOUSANDS of impoverished children will have a gift to open this Christmas thanks to generous donations from kind-hearted residents.

During the past month, teams of volunteers have been hard at work collecting, checking and packing more than 18,000 gift-filled shoeboxes ready to be transported to children in Romania.

The boxes have been donated by schoolchildren, community groups and residents in the Evesham area, and include gifts such as toys, clothing and sweets.

Co-ordinating the shoebox appeal from its warehouse in Davies Road, Evesham, was Teams4U, a charity which helps deprived children around the world.

Paul Jeanes, who volunteers with Teams4U, said: "As the campaign draws to a close for this year we would like to take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers and supporters who have helped to make this such a resounding success and we look forward the next campaign in autumn 2017."

Crowds gathered to see the present-packed lorry set off on its three-day, 1,000 mile journey across Europe to deliver the gifts to children in Oradea, western Romania.

And another lorry set off from the Evesham warehouse last weekend bound for Belarus, transporting more than 5,000 shoeboxes for children.

A small team of volunteers who have worked at the Evesham warehouse will fly out to Romania to help give out the shoeboxes to children and their families living in abject poverty.

For more information about the campaign email teams4uevesham@gmail.com