CHURCHES and schools across the county have been busy filling shoeboxes with gifts in the annual Operation Christmas Child.

The boxes will be delivered to countries where children are unlikely to get presents because of poverty or conflict.

As well as toys, the boxes also include useful items such as hats, gloves and scarves and basic toiletries.

Last year Herefordshire contributed 8,500 boxes to the project, organised by the national charity, Samaritans Purse.

Holmer Church members filled 223 shoeboxes to send to the appeal.