Operation Christmas Child organisers are hoping to send a third lorry to Eastern Europe for the first time.

After a blessing, two lorry loads of gift-filled shoeboxes left Melksham on Saturday, December 1.

One lorry is now on its way to the Ukraine and the other is travelling to Kosovo. There are nearly enough boxes to fill another trailer, and organiser Judith Whalley has been delighted with the response.

She said: "It's been fantastic, we are getting more and more boxes each year. The word is spreading and people are more than pleased to help.

"The quality of the boxes is absolutely superb and the project is good for children as it makes them think about what they've got. Some of the card messages have also been very touching."

The project has run smoothly this year, and there have been no surprise packages.

"Last year someone put a banana in a box and a scone was wrapped in tin foil," said Mrs Whalley.

The only problem arose last weekend, when the drivers' translator was late.

If anybody still has a shoebox they can take it to any branch of Kwik Fit until Friday December 21.

Dave Cook, the brains behind Operation Christmas Child, has taken aid out to refugees in Afghanistan, and a cargo planeload of shoeboxes will soon touch down there.