OUR Caring Christmas campaign has proved to be a massive success.

The campaign, run by the Bolton News alongside the Bolton Lions to help underprivileged children, collected enough presents for 1,063 children.

A huge bag of toys has already been presented to the campaign to give it a head start for Christmas 2015. The toy collection took place at Laserase Bolton, which is located in the grounds of the Royal Bolton Hospital.

It is the 33rd year that Bolton Lions have run the appeal and this year saw a record number of needy children supplied with toys.

In total, 1,063 children, all from the Bolton area, received six to seven mostly new toys each.

John Crompton, treasurer of Bolton Lions, said: “We were very pleased with the toys provided in the Laserase collection. These toys when collected go to our unit in Bolton, to be sorted into age categories and then put into large bags to be distributed to children. These bags go to schools, children's homes, social workers and children's centres, which provide us with lists of underprivileged children.”

Julie Kershaw, clinic manager at Laserase Bolton, said: “We’re delighted to have helped collect toys for the Caring Christmas Appeal and we were overwhelmed by the generosity of our customers and staff.

"We hope that the toys which came in after the end of this year’s appeal will help to get next year’s appeal off to a flying start.

“We’re looking forward to taking part again and to helping the appeal break new records next time, with even more toys donated.”