THE Salvation Army has praised people's generosity as volunteers sorted gifts donated as part of an annual collection.

Volunteers for the Christian organisation were busy sifting through hundreds of donated toys yesterday in the South Oxford Baptist Church on Wytham Road.

The charity is planning to distribute the toys and gifts to 400 children this year, many of whom have difficult family circumstances.

It has partnered with social services and health workers to get presents to children in Oxford who may not receive any this year due to their families experiencing debt problems, addiction or mental health issues.

The gifts have been donated at schools and churches and several businesses have also got involved.

Tim Johnson and his wife Sam are the church leaders of the Oxford branch of the Salvation Army.

Mr Johnson, 52, said: “We are always delighted with people’s generosity. It no longer surprises us because we see it every year but it blows us away.

“We had one lady who organised a reverse advent calendar where every day she put something in to a container rather than take something out and everything collected came to us.

“A chiropractor in Kidlington also agreed to be paid in toys for one day and gave us the proceeds."

The toys were sorted by 16 volunteers in to relevant age groups.

Social workers will now come to pick out a present that is relevant to the children they work with.