CHILDREN at a Keighley secondary school have dispatched gift-filled shoeboxes to a charity which helps deprived children all over the world.

The pupils at Holy Family Catholic School packed the boxes with donated Christmas presents to give to a charity called Samaritan's Purse.

Each shoebox, suitably wrapped and decorated, contains small gifts such as toiletries, toys, pencils and items of clothing such as gloves or a hat.

Ellen Curran, pastoral assistant with year seven, said: “The students have been very enthusiastic and generous.

"The gifts are intended to help children keep clean and warm and also help them to play and possibly learn. This initiative takes place at about this time every year under the banner Operation Christmas Child, and is masterminded by the Samaritan’s Purse international relief organisation.”

The year 7 students, assisted by teacher Elizabeth Whitaker and school office staff, put together more than 80 boxes, an increase on last year’s total.

Mrs Curran said the boxes would be going out to the Philippines and to Belarus.

“We do not know the precise circumstances of the children that will receive our shoeboxes but that doesn't matter," she added. "It is all to the common good that we can instil into the students the absolute need to care and share."