Hundreds of children in care will get Christmas presents this year, thanks to the public’s generosity.

Police officers in Harrow received 150 Christmas presents as part of the Met Commissioner’s Christmas Tree Gift Appeal.

The gifts were presented to the Mayor of Harrow last Wednesday.

Presents were donated by members of the public, police officers and staff after a Christmas tree was placed outside Harrow Police Station, encouraging people to give.

The response was so overwhelming that the surplus of gifts will be donated to children in hospitals in Harrow.

Sergeant Jamie Kay, who co-ordinated the appeal, said: "The giving of a gift to a child in care who may have been through some difficult times, by a person they have never met, is truly within the spirit of Christmas.

"I hope our initiative will put a smile on many children's faces at this wonderful time of year. The amount of presents donated and the thought that went into choosing the gifts were remarkable."