SEAFARERS who work in the UK's docks have been gifted a Christmas haul of presents by generous residents in East Royal.

The Seafarers' Centre at Portbury Docks in Bristol were given 35 sacks of treats including soap, shampoo, shower gel, tooth brushes, tooth paste, flannels and other toiletries; bars of chocolate and more all collected by the village.

Their presents will now be handed out to the men and women who visit British ports while importing or exporting goods.

Retired naval officers Bill and Karen Nimmo-Scott organised the collection of treats which will mainly be given to workers travelling from Asia over the festive period.

Mr Nimmo-Scott, of Harris Lane, Easton Royal, said: “The Seafarers’ Centre aims to give every sailor in port at Christmastide a gift. These sailors deserve our thanks and a gift at Christmas is little enough recognition.”

Mrs Nimmo-Scott has also spent the last 12 Christmasses knitting more then 50 woolly hats which have gone on to be distributed to foreign seafarers.

The UK relies on merchant shipping for 95 per cent of its imports and 75 per cent of its exports, and sea ports handle over half a billion tonnes of goods a year.

More than half the food eaten in the UK is imported and, of this, a staggering 95 per cent arrives by ship.