A PENARTH opticians is celebrating after its appeal to help disadvantaged and vulnerable youngsters to receive Christmas gifts received a huge response from the public this year.

Staff at the Specsavers stores on Windsor Road, Penarth, collected 300 shoe boxes filled with toys for Operation Christmas Child, the global annual appeal which provides gifts to children in more than 100 countries.

The boxes, which will be despatched to less fortunate children in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, can contain toys, sweets, letters and necessity items such as toothbrushes and soap.

Frank Moloney, store director, said: "We have had a fantastic response to our appeal again this year and I would like to thank everyone who donated a box.

"It is easy to forget that not everyone is lucky enough to receive nice gifts at Christmas, and many children lack even the most basic things we take for granted. I hope that these gifts will go some way to help make a disadvantaged child's Christmas a happier one this year."