SHOEBOXES packed with Christmas gifts will soon be on their way from a North-East village to families living in poverty and freezing conditions in Ukraine, Romania, Albania and Moldova.

Villagers in Hurworth-on-Tees today presented 120 shoeboxes to the Link For Hope charity, which is collecting donations from all over the country before transporting them abroad by lorry.

The Hurworth shoeboxes were presented to Link For Hope volunteer, Jim Thompson, at this morning's Remembrance Sunday service at All Saints Church, in the village.

The gift-wrapped boxes contain items such as toys, hats, scarves, gloves, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and tools.

Mr Thompson, a retired truck driver and driving instructor from Dipton, County Durham, has been volunteering for the charity for 20 years.

He said: “It’s lovely to come to Hurworth and collect these generous donations. The greatest thing is to see the joy on the faces of the families when they open them at the other end.”

The collection was supported by the 11th Darlington (1st Hurworth) Scout Group, the 4th Hurworth Rainbows, 2nd Hurworth Methodist Guides, and the 3rd Hurworth Methodist Brownies.

All Saints lay reader, Paul Mallett, said: “We have seen such a lot of generosity and it’s wonderful to see every generation involved in something that gives to people who are less fortunate than ourselves.”