POORLY youngsters at the Royal Bolton Hospital had smiles put on their faces when they were visited by their footballing heroes.

Bolton Wanderers vice-captain Matt Mills visited the children, along with Chung-Yong Lee, Adam Bogdan, Rob Hall, Dorain Dervite, Oscar Threlkeld and Max Clayton.

Whites players visit the hospital every year, to meet and greet youngsters at the hospital’s children’s ward.

Mills, aged 28, said: “I spoke to one of the parents earlier and his little lad had a seizure out of nowhere, and it’s scary stuff.

“To be able to come down and put a smile on a few of the little ones’ faces is great.

“Hopefully it can help a little bit in what must be a really tough time for them and their family.

“We’ve only been here a short amount of time but what struck me was the enthusiasm that the staff put in to make it special for the kids.

“That rubs off on the kids and you can see that even though they are in hospital, they have smiles on their faces.”

Lydia Hill, play co-ordinator on the paediatric unit, said: “It’s a visit with quite a long history and has happened every year since Mike Whitlow had his little one here many years ago, and it has progressed since then.

“Actually coming on to the unit gives such a big boost, not just to the children but to the families as well, it makes an enormous difference and brings a little bit of sunshine into their lives over the Christmas period.

“It’s always difficult at this time of year when you spend time in hospital because sometimes the conditions the children have can make it very restrictive and isolated. It allows them to have that little bit of normality and feel special.”

Players from Bolton Wanderers also visited Bolton Hospice and Derian House.