Classic car group donates gifts to children's ward

Gary Byrne said the gifts bring a "little bit of Christmas cheer"

A classic car club has delivered presents for children who are having to spend Christmas at a hospital in Birmingham.

Members of Coleshill Auto Breakfast Club donated gifts to children and staff members at Heartlands Hospital, so they have something to open on Christmas Day.

Instead of Santa Claus, children at the hospital were visited by a fleet of classic trucks and cars on Sunday.

Charlotte Schofield, from University Hospitals Birmingham Charity said the presents "mean everything" to children and staff members who will be spending Christmas away from home.

The group, which started meeting at a pub car park in Coleshill six years ago, delivered the presents flanked by riders from the Nationwide Association of Blood Bikes.

Gary Byrne, who helped organise the event, said: "When we all get up on Christmas morning we tend to forget that there's kids in hospital but also as well we've got to remember the staff that have to work at the hospitals.

"So it's just a little bit of Christmas cheer and a little bit of us saying thank you."

Even the Grinch was invited to deliver presents to children at Heartlands Hospital, in Birmingham

This is the third year in a row that the group has visited children at the hospital.

Ms Schofield said the presents mean that "no-one missed out" this Christmas.

"Being in the hospital for anybody is obviously incredibly difficult, but being in hospital as a child over Christmas when you should be at home waiting for Santa to come is obviously not how you want to spend your Christmas," she said.

"Every single child that's in hospital on Christmas Day will get a special present from Santa just to show how strong they've been and how proud everyone is of them."