SOCCER stars scored off the pitch when they dropped in at hospitals in part of the region.

The goal of Middlesbrough Football Club's first team was to bring Christmas cheer to children's wards at the University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton, and the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough.

The toys and gifts they distributed were all donated by kind hearted fans.

Players who visited the Stockton hospital yesterday were Juninho, George Boateng, Colin Cooper, Doriva, Ugo Ehiogu, Joseph-Desire Job, Allan Johnston, Brad Jones, Massimo Maccarone, Stuart Parnaby, Franck Queudrue and Bolo Zenden.

Youngsters who are spending Christmas at the James Cook University Hospital received visits from Andrew Davies, Stewart Downing, Jonathan Greening, Gaizka Mendieta, Danny Mills, David Murphy, Carlo Nash, Szilard Nemeth, Michael Ricketts, Chris Riggott, Mark Schwarzer, Gareth Southgate and Mark Wilson.

Players also called in at the Butterwick Children's Hospice in Stockton.

Club captain Gareth Southgate said: "The club has been making these visits for some years now. I think it's an excellent idea to bring a little Christmas cheer to the kids.

"It's hard enough for children to spend time in hospital at any time of the year, but it's very tough on them at Christmas. Hopefully, our visit and the gifts will cheer them up.

"We're very grateful that many of our fans have been so generous in donating gifts."

Middlesbrough street wardens charged with the job of helping to keep the town's streets safe swapped their familiar green baseball caps for Father Christmas hats to distribute more than 100 presents to children being treated at the James Cook hospital. Friends, colleagues and local people gave gifts to the appeal organised by street wardens' assistant manager Steve Crick.

He said: "When I started doing this I expected to collect a dozen or so gifts and now we have well over 100 presents for the children. I'm absolutely amazed at people's generosity - that is what Christmas is all about.

"A lot of these children will be spending their Christmas in hospital, which can't be easy for them."