High school pupils visited a children’s ward to hand out presents to patients having to spend Christmas in hospital.

Children from Harrow High School collected the gifts and goodies during the past month to give out to patients in Jack’s Ward of Northwick Park Hospital, in Watford Road.

The ward is full at this time of year and there can be up to 20 children who spend Christmas in hospital with their parents at their side.

The school collected around a dozen boxes of presents, including arts and craft kits, colouring books and building blocks.

Head girl Olina Shrestha, 15, said: “A this time of year it is important to think of others and we really wanted to put a smile on the faces of children here.

“We put posters up around the school and the response we had from everyone was fantastic and we’re really pleased the whole school got behind the campaign.”

Pupils from all years took part in the collecting of gifts and the school were donated presents from Toy Galaxy toyshop, Morrison’s supermarket and Greggs the Bakers.

Teacher Michelle Bowan said: “I wanted the pupils to do something that would help give back to the community.

“We thought giving to the hospital would be special gesture as it is the ward where our some of our pupils could be treated.

“We collected all these gifts over the past two weeks and the response we had from our learners has been fantastic and I’m really proud of all of them.”

One young patient to get a gift was two-year-old Santiano.

His mum Nathasha Whelan said: “It’s lovely for him to have a gift and as a mum it’s really nice to know that people from the community care about us when he’s in hospital.

“It means a lot, especially at Christmas.”