MORE than 200 gift bags will be delivered to families who find themselves in hospital this Christmas thanks to a campaign set up by a Staverton family.

Matilda Fisher, four, spent last Christmas with her family at Bristol Children's Hospital as she underwent chemotherapy treatment to try and tackle the acute lymphoblastic leukaemia she had been diagnosed with.

A year later, the Staverton Primary pupil is now in remission and in the last few months, her mum Gabby and her friend Rachel Corbett have set up the Sunshine Sacks initiative, which sends food, drink and other presents to families of children with cancer that will be spending this Christmas in hospitals across the South West.

"The support from family, friends, the local community and complete strangers has been incredible," said Gabby.

"As well as all those individuals who have so generously prepared bags, we are so grateful to all those businesses and venues who have kindly acted as drop-off points, making it easy for people to donate.

"When we originally embarked on the campaign, the aim was to collect 50 bags and we are absolutely delighted to have exceeded this by so much."

The next phase of the campaign will see Gabby and her team of volunteers delivering the bags to families on children’s oncology wards at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and several other hospitals in the region in time for Christmas Eve.