Boy plans Christmas party for hard-hit steel families

A Teesside schoolboy says he has been amazed by the response after he announced plans to organise a Christmas party for the children of the now redundant SSI steelworkers.

The last shovelfuls of coal went into the Redcar Coke Ovens last week, cementing the end of iron and steel production and leaving thousands of people in the surrounding area looking for new work.

Nine-year-old Ben Hebden says he has already organised the food, entertainment and a venue and he has received more than £500 in donations for the children's presents.