A “HUGE thank you” has been sent out by charity Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline for the toys donated by Herald readers in December.

The Herald’s first ever Christmas Toy Appeal proved a huge success last festive season, with a mountain of toys donated for less fortunate children.

Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, based in Haslemere, wrapped up as many of the presents as they could and took them out to Belarus to put smiles on the faces on disadvantaged children, many of whom had never received a present before.

The charity visited 39 families over three days in early January, as well as organising a party for another 35 who they were unable to visit due to logistical reasons.

Elizabeth Parker is a trustee for the charity and said: “All of the families were extremely pleased to see us and in some cases quite overwhelmed that people would travel all the way from England to deliver presents and that other people they would never even meet gave those presents for their children, paying for them from their own pockets.

“We are so very grateful to everyone who has supported this programme, we could never have delivered so much happiness to these children without you.

“You may think your contribution only small but it is not, you have given these children something they will always remember.

“On behalf of the charity and in particular, the children of Chernobyl, please pass on to your readers a very big thank you very much!”

Due to the success, the charity is already planning to do this again next Christmas in a longer trip to enable more children and local hospital paediatric departments to be visited.

Other charities to benefit from the inaugural Herald Christmas Toy Appeal were Home-Start in Waverley, Dreams Come True, Treloars and Challengers.

Readers were invited to donate a new, unwrapped toy or book for ages nought to three, four to seven, eight to 12 and 13 to 16 years old and hundreds of individuals, groups and schools responded.