POLICE have taken time out from cracking cases to put smiles on the faces of sick children this Easter.

Officers have rounded up more than 250 Easter Eggs in an appeal, which they are due to hand out at the Royal Bolton Hospital's children's ward on Thursday.

Bolton officers made the appeal to their own staff, as well as probation officers and Bolton Council staff, to donate an egg to the worthy cause.

Sgt Helen Chadwick, a divisional intelligence co-ordinator at Bolton Central, said the response had been "brilliant".

She said: "It has been absolutely fantastic, people have been very generous.

"Pippa Panda and perhaps even Lofty the Lion, from Bolton Wanderers, will go along with us on Thursday to dish the eggs out.

"It won't be the best of Easters for the kids in hospital so hopefully this will put a smile on their faces.

"We will also give some of the eggs to any siblings visiting as they will need cheering up as well."

Any eggs left over will be taken to Derian House children's hospice, Sgt Chadwick added.

The police will be at the hospital from about 2pm on Maundy Thursday.

Sgt Chadwick thinks the friendly gesture will help make police seem more approachable to the youngsters.

She added: "For the youngsters there, it will spread positive messages about the police.

"An officer handing out eggs will show them that we are approachable and will encourage them to report things to us where needed as they grow up."

Revealing the inspiration behind the collection, she said: "It has been fantastic, we are actually keeping the Easter Eggs in the office here and are surrounded by them now.

"A friend of mine who lives in St Helens started a chocolate orange collection when his disabled son died.

"He had taken some in while his son was in there and gave them to staff.

"We supported him and the Bolton officers donated more than 100 oranges and we took them to Christie.

"Everybody pulled together for that so we thought we should do something more local."