SHOPPERS and staff at Tesco Port Glasgow have been praised for a Christmas miracle after their 'amazing' response to the festive toy appeal.

Lynn Emerson, the store community champion, teamed up with Barnardo’s and the local branch of the Salvation Army to make sure that less fortunate local children had a present to unwrap on Wednesday.

Customers had been invited to take a tag from a special Christmas tree in the store which contained details about individual kids and what they were hoping to receive for Christmas.

Shoppers and staff purchasing around 150 gifts for local children.

Lynn said: “The people of Inverclyde have been really generous and very kind.

“They all play a part in making not only children very happy on Christmas Day but for the parents who are extremely grateful.

“I want to thank all the staff and customers for helping with the appeal, without them it wouldn’t have happened.”

Moira Taylor, a project worker at Barnardo’s says she was touched when she went to the store to collect the gifts people had handed in.

She said: “The amount of toys donated was amazing.

“I was overwhelmed to see the gifts people handed in, it is the incredible generosity of the staff and the public that will help to make a huge difference.

“We can’t thank everyone enough."

Ian Arthur from Port Glasgow Salvation Army extended his thanks to everyone who supported the appeal.

He said: “Lynn and Tesco have been a brilliant support to us.

"Having that support has meant we were able to increase the amount of gifts we gave out to children under 12 who needed a present to open on Christmas.

“I was so surprised at the amount of gifts, people kept giving even after the tags were all gone.

“The stack waiting for us was amazing and it is great to know that people want to help others.

"Everyone in Inverclyde is so generous."