A total of 2,399 boxes crammed full of Christmas cheer were sent this year from Hethersett, Wymondham, Attleborough and the surrounding villages under the Operation Christmas Child charity banner.

A total of 2,399 boxes crammed full of Christmas cheer were sent this year from Hethersett, Wymondham, Attleborough and the surrounding villages under the Operation Christmas Child charity banner.

The shoeboxes full of toys, games, hats, gloves and many other items found their way to poor children in Serbia.

Local co-ordinators John and Shirley Adams of Hethersett were delighted with the response in what turned out to be a record year:

'This is a wonderful total and was well up on the previous year. I would like to thank everybody who put boxes together and all the volunteers that helped. We had an army of knitters who made it possible for hats and mittens to be put in every box,' Shirley said.

Shirley also had considerable help from Bartrams Funeral Directors and Anne Scott in Wymondham and Vicky Gaskin in Attleborough who acted as local collection points.

Every year brings up new and interesting challenges for the charity as Shirley explained.

'I am hoping that next year everyone will cut off the plastic tags which seem nowadays to hold everything together. Children in Serbia do not have scissors and it can be virtually impossible to pull them out.'

Each year John and Shirley check the contents of every box that stacks up at their home: 'All the work is worth it to know that these gift-filled shoe boxes will give so much pleasure and bring a smile to so many children living in unbelievable conditions,' she said.

John and Shirley are already looking towards their 13th year of collecting and have a special appeal.

'I would appreciate any spare wool so that the knitters can start their work again,' Shirley said.