There is just over a week until Christmas - meaning there are just days left to ensure that underprivileged youngsters across Newham will have something to open on Christmas morning.

Donations are continuing to come in for this year's Christmas Toy Appeal, although further gifts are still needed if organisers are to hit the target in a year that has seen more young people than ever referred to it.

AGS Doors and Shutters have donated 50 food hampers, which will be given to families of some of the children helped by the appeal who are living in poverty.

A spokesperson for the company, based in Rainham, said: "We hope that the hampers help out just a little part of the community around this time of year.

"As a family run business and being brought up in the Newham area, we decided to give something back to our local area."

Other donations include 150 toys from the congregation of All Saints Church in Writtle, Essex. They have been collecting donations for the annual appeal for more than 20 years.

Another regular supporter, Rose Bennett, has spent 2020 knitting more than 40 soft toys, as well as hats and gloves, which will be given to youngsters on Christmas morning.

Staff at Tate & Lyle Sugars have donated more than £2,000 to the appeal this year, which the company will be match-funding and adding an additional £500 corporate donation - making a total of more than £4,500.

A spokesperson for the company, which has supported the Newham Toy Appeal since it started more than 40 years ago, said: "This year, we encouraged our employees to donate the money they would have spent on their co-workers Secret Santa present to the Newham Christmas Toy Appeal, so that a disadvantaged, vulnerable and at-risk child in our local community in Newham had a present to open on Christmas morning.

"We have been absolutely delighted with our colleagues' generosity!"

Other donations include 10 packages of more than 200 toys from the Fence Club charity and £500 from Irons Supporting Foodbanks.

Toy Appeal co-founder Kevin Jenkins also expressed thanks to Conway, Theobald and Gardiner and Thames Water for their contributions, as well as to the Canning Town branch of Morrisons where staff are in the middle of a two-week collection.