A record number of Christmas shoeboxes have been sent to a depot ready to be delivered to disadvantaged children.

On November 2, 704 boxes from Winchester Rotary were sent to Boscombe by Colin Cook and Tony Catesby.

These will be added to the Wessex Rotary District total from around 50 clubs across the area.

The district coordinator is sure the final total will be more than 20,000, a 10 per cent increase on last year.

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Tony Catesby with wife Andrena and granddaughter Olive (Image: Winchester Rotary) The boxes, filled with gifts, will go to children in Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and those affected by the war in Ukraine.

After reaching the depot, they will be sent by lorries to reach the children by Christmas.

Colin, who organises the Winchester effort, said: "The Winchester Rotary total is also 10 per cent up on last year and our largest ever.

"Very many thanks to the eight primary schools, three nurseries, and many individual contributors - who this year included staff at Sarum Road Hospital for the first time.”

Winchester Rotary members and friends checked and sorted the boxes.