Children across the county will be receiving presents tomorrow morning thanks to the generosity of Gazette & Herald readers.

In total, 139 children from 77 families will be unwrapping toys and gifts this Christmas thanks to this year’s toy appeal, run in conjunction with the Salvation Army.

Since early November kind readers have been donating toys to designated drop-off points throughout the county, including Malmesbury, Marlborough, Chippenham and Devizes.

This month the donations were collected from the many drop-off points and sorted by Salvation Army volunteers into parcels for individual families.

Julie Swales, service manager at the Rise Children’s Centre, Chippenham, said: “The families are so thankful for these things. It makes such a difference.

“These people can’t afford a lot and they are really really beautiful things that people give.

“It’s just the joy of delivering it, seeing they’re from your local community and people are very thankful.

“To give in this way is absolutely wonderful.”

Salvation Army volunteers have also been working tirelessly in the run-up to Christmas, collecting from drop-off points and packing the toys up for children.

Captain Lisa Goble, from the Salvation Army in Chippenham, said: “Every year we are amazed at the kindness of people in the area. This year our community have exceeded in their giving to those families and children who are in need and there will be plenty of happy children waking up on Christmas morning to find that Santa hasn’t forgotten them after all.

“We would like to wish a Happy Christmas to all those who so generously gave to the toy appeal, the Gazette & Herald staff and readers and the staff at Sainsbury’s, Wilkinson’s and Superdrug in Chippenham and Michael Thomas Butchers in Malmesbury.”

As well as the towns in the north-west of the county, drop-off points in Devizes included Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Winkworth, Wilko and John Stuart Funeral Directors as well as Morrisons, Tesco and Henry George estate agents in Marlborough.