Hundreds of boxes for children in Eastern Europe

Volunteers packed and checked the boxes

Five-hundred shoeboxes have been filled with Christmas presents for children in Eastern European countries.

Volunteers at St Mary's Church, in Brixham, Devon, have packed and checked boxes filled with toys, toiletries, clothing and other presents.

The boxes will be be taken to Ukraine and Moldova by Christian Response, a charity based in Exmouth.

Volunteer Lindsay Williams said: "They're going to children who otherwise wouldn't have Christmas." The boxes will be taken to the countries by lorry in November.

The boxes will be be taken to Ukraine and Moldova

Ms Williams said: "We've got a wonderful lady... who has a load of friends and all year they knit for the shoeboxes.

"It's just amazing because you know the whole community has reached out and they just love the idea that children are going to have Christmas."

She said the boxes had been in the churches that are part of Brixham Mission Community for the last three months.

"People have been bringing in a couple of bars of soap, a few flannels, torches, teddy bears, anything that can go in shoeboxes... and they have just been wonderful."

Reverend Dr Philippa Bellows, team rector of Brixham Mission Community, said: "It's been mind-blowing generosity from everyone and particularly from all of our schools.

She said "it's desperately sad to think of people suffering deprivation in war-torn countries and people without anything at Christmas".

"The feeling that we can do something to alleviate that sadness brings us a huge amount of joy."