KIND-HEARTED residents are making colourful draw-string bags to bring a smile to the faces of poor children this Christmas.

The sacks, donated to Operation Christmas Child, will be sent abroad with presents in shoe-boxes to keep the goodies safe when they arrive.

Cotswold Sewing Machines in Stroud has collected hundreds of bags from residents over several weeks.

Store assistant Jenny McTiffin said: "It’s for children abroad who wouldn’t get presents at Christmas.

"When they take the treats out of the shoe boxes, they’ve got a little bag to carry their personal things around.

"There’s been a good response and some people have brought in piles of bags."

The project, organised by the charity Samaritan's Purse International, donates presents to children in countries including India, Mozambique and Serbia.

Mary Jones, Gloucestershire voluntary representative, said: "There’s been a wonderful response from the Stroud Valleys.

"The bags are very much in demand.

"It’s a particularly nice item because the box wears out and the children have something nice to out their goodies in."

Bags can still be dropped into the store in Lansdown.

Store owner Edna Powell is expected to be back at work next week after being injured in a recent collision with a car.