DOZENS of toys and gifts collected by a family business in Hexham are to be distributed to families in need at Christmas by the Salvation Army.

This is the seventh year that the team at Aligned Chiropractic on Hencotes have staged their Christmas toy appeal, encouraging patients and staff to donate toys to pass on to those who would otherwise struggle to give their little ones a gift.

On December 7, every person who visited the practice for care was asked to pay half their fee, presenting a toy in lieu to make up the difference.

The business then donated half the fees collected that day, in the form of toys, and added them to the collection.

Chiropractor Belinda Ambrose said: “Each year our collections get larger due to the generosity and kindness of our practice members. We know the Salvation Army relies on our collections and we are proud to have been supporting them since 2009.”