'SUPERB' is the only way to describe the response to our Christmas Toy Appeal for 2003.

Just when we began to worry that we wouldn't have enough this year the true spirit of Christmas shone through and the gifts began to pour in.

So many in fact that every single child in Northwich, Winsford and Middlewich in need of help will receive at least two - or even three - gifts this year!

Your kindness also extended to the older children in our community, those who sometimes get overlooked in the rush to help the tots.

Around half the gifts handed in were bought specifically with an older child in mind and all of them were top quality.

Our fantastic Santas from Vale Royal Lions were over the moon with the response and reckon it was one of the best years ever.

Lions president Peter Allsopp said: 'In terms of quality the toys were the best we have ever seen. People have been extremely generous this year and particularly thoughtful when it came to choose something to donate.

'There will be a lot of smiles when the children wake up on Christmas Day.'

Many of the gifts were handed in at collections set up across Mid Cheshire including 11 full bags which were collected at special toy services in St Luke's Church, Winnington, and Holy Trinity Church, Castle.

The services were organised by vicar the Rev Sheila Hughes who has been one of the appeal's most stalwart supporters.

'Christmas is all about giving and the Toy Appeal is so well supported because people have this inherent gift of generosity. The more we give, the more love we spread in the world, without that our country would fall apart.'

Northwich traders also handed over a mountain of gifts to a collection organised by the chairman of Northwich Traders Group, Tracy Jones.

The caring mum was accompanied on her trip around the shops by North-wich Town Mayor Mandy Griffiths and shopping precinct manager Paul Bosman.

Dozens of keep fitters also flexed some muscle by donating masses of gifts to a collection set up by former commando Jason Young and his partner Michelle Bush at the gym which they run in Winsford.

Children also showed how much they cared with piles of gifts arriving from Northwich Stagecoach Theatre Arts School and Hartford Manor Primary School.

More gifts were also handed in at collection points in The Regal Cinema, Northwich, Somerfield, Middlewich, and Kwik Save, Northwich.

And with so much to sort out we were particularly grateful for the space once again provided by our friends at Petty-pool Educational and Outdoor Centre in Sandiway.

No Toy Appeal would be complete without a huge thank you to those wonderful Father Christmases from Vale Royal Lions who unstintingly give up their spare time not just at Christmas but all round the year to make Mid Cheshire a better place to be.

They really are the pride of Vale Royal.

Thank you to everyone who helped and may we take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a very happy new year.