CHILDREN and their families at two schools in the York area have been parcelling up Christmas boxes which will soon be on their way to Eastern Europe.

Both Woodthorpe Primary School and St Mary's CE Primary School, at Askham Richard, have produced about 80 boxes each.

Woodthorpe teacher Sue Glenn, key stage two co-ordinator, said it was the first time the school had taken part in the project and children had included such items as toys, sweets, small games, pens and pencils in shoe boxes.

She said: "Parents bringing the boxes in have all said how much they enjoyed packing the boxes together."

The boxes have all been wrapped up in Christmas wrapping paper and are destined for children in countries like Bosnia and Romania in Eastern Europe.

Jane Carroll, head teacher at St Mary's, said it was the third year that the school had taken part in the scheme.

She said each child at the school had been involved and some had even come up with five boxes each.

"It's a traditional thing now. Sometime after Christmas we usually receive a letter saying the parcels have arrived and sometimes we are sent pictures of the children opening the parcels.

"The children really enjoy seeing them."