Gareth Bale-backed Christmas hampers to be delivered

Gareth Bale has donated £15,000 to this year's campaign

A thousand hampers are being delivered to help support families this Christmas in a campaign backed by sports stars including Gareth Bale.

Tottenham and Wales winger Bale made a £15,000 donation to the "Everyone Deserves a Christmas 2020" campaign in the Swansea Bay area.

Ospreys rugby players and Swansea City footballers are among the 100 people who also volunteered to help.

Swansea East MP Carolyn Harris said she was "overwhelmed" by the donations.

James Hook, who won 81 caps for Wales, has been among those volunteering

Food and essential items have been donated in the hampers, which will be sent across the area, while Swansea council and bus companies have donated vans and buses to help deliveries.

Ex-Swansea City forward Lee Trundle will be handing out signed shirts on the doorsteps, while ex-Wales centre James Hook is signing copies of his children's book for some of the hampers, which are being packed in Swansea's Mecca Bingo.

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Cherrie Bija from the charity Faith in Families said: "We've got families with young children that have found themselves in great difficulty. They've been losing their jobs or furloughed.

"Each year when we deliver these hampers we're delivering them to people who struggle throughout the year, but this year it's even harder."

Cherrie Bija said this year's campaign was "even harder" than normal

Ms Harris said: "I've cried because I'm so overwhelmed by how many people have turned up to help and to deliver. Seeing all those companies turning up with their vans to take the deliveries, I really am overcome with emotion.

"There are people who have donated to the hampers in previous years who are receiving hampers this year.

"We're doing 1,000 hampers in one day and with all the food and toys we're handing out, we know we'll be helping people to have some sort of Christmas, because everyone deserves to have a Christmas."

Volunteers have been packing hampers since 06:00 GMT on Monday