SHOPPERS are being urged to do their bit to send some festive cheer to thousands of children in troubled countries around the world this Christmas.

As part of the Durham Christmas Festival, the city's Millburngate Shopping Centre is urging members of the public to drop off shoe boxes full of gifts which will be among consignments sent to youngsters in developing countries in coming weeks.

The centre's PriceLess shoe shop is the drop-off point for boxes until the end of the Christmas festival weekend, on Sunday.

The appeal organiser, Operation Christmas Child, has agreed to extend the deadline to cover the festival weekend and has guaranteed the packages will reach orphanages in eastern Europe before Christmas.

More than 6.6m gift-filled shoe boxes were distributed as a result of Operation Christmas Child in 2003.

Millburngate centre manager Andy Bradley said: "We're delighted to play host to such a worthy cause.

"Without appeals such as this, millions of children would never get to know the simple things we all take for granted, such as having soap, let alone a gift, on Christmas Day."

All shoppers need to do is complete a form at the centre, wrap a shoe box with Christmas paper, then state if the gift is for a boy or a girl, and which age category.

Donors can also enclose a note to the child and a photo of themselves or their family.

During the Christmas Festival weekend Santa will be greeting visitors in a lounge in the centre, from 10am to 3pm on Saturday and 11.30am to 3pm on Sunday.