SIXTH form students have wrapped more than 50 present-packed shoeboxes which will be send to deprived children this Christmas.

Dozens of gift-filled boxes were donated by students at the Cotswold School, in Bourton-on-the-Water, after a team of sixth formers appealed to their peers in an assembly.

Every box will be donated to the charity Teams4U, which will distribute them to poor children in Romania, who would otherwise go without presents this Christmas.

Phil White, head of the school's sixth form, proposed the idea to Luke Milner, aged 18, Hamish Lee, aged 17, and Freddy Gregory, aged 17.

"The response has been great," said Mr Gregory. "We are privileged to be able to live the lives that we are and the least we could do is try to raise awareness to support those people that are not so lucky. We are very pleased that it went so well."

Mr White said: "Hamish, Luke and Freddy prepared an assembly to inform the rest of the sixth form about the work of charity Teams4U.

"With four days at the most to complete the challenge and meet the delivery deadline, I was expecting, say, 10 or 12 boxes to be filled but I was delighted when over 50 arrived in my office!

"They are filled to the brim with lovely toys and useful items. This will make a real difference this Christmas to the lives of the children who receive them."

Started by Dave Cooke, Teams4U works around the world to help impoverished children and their communities.

For more information visit teams4u.com