For the third year running officers have been overwhelmed by the generosity of communities in Fenland who have supported an annual Christmas gift appeal.

Last month, the Neighbourhood Policing Team asked residents to help them spread some Christmas cheer to local children in need.

Inspector Ian Lombardo said: “Despite this having been an extremely tough year for so many people, I have yet again been surprised by the level of generosity and community spirit shown in support of this appeal.

“The volume of donations has vastly surpassed my expectations.

“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic we had to run the appeal slightly differently this year however I’m pleased to say that thanks to your help there will be far fewer children in the area who wake up on Christmas morning with nothing to open.”

The local policing team joined up with social services and The Salvation Army to collect toys and gifts for children across the Fenland district who are less fortunate and likely to wake up on Christmas Day with no presents, for a number of reasons.

The appeal ran from 16 November to 10 December, and saw items such as toys, games, arts and crafts, sports equipment and toiletry sets gifted by communities.

Insp Lombardo added: “I always hear such amazing stories from social services about the children who receive these toys and it’s these stories and the sheer scale of the support shown by the community that makes it such a worthwhile event.

“We will never know exactly which child received each donation but one thing I can promise you is it will have gone to some of the most vulnerable and deprived children in the area and your generosity really has made a difference to a child’s Christmas.

Last year saw donations ranging from a woman who brought in her lifetime collection of teddy bears, to a six-year-old boy gifting his own birthday presents.

A young mother with two children under the age of five was incredibly touched to receive presents from the scheme, she was really struggling to find money, was having to rely on food banks and had been worried she wouldn’t be able to give her children anything to open on Christmas Day – your donations made sure this didn’t happen.