AN urgent appeal has been made for West Somerset residents to find their Christmas spirit and donate gift-filled shoeboxes for needy youngsters from around the world.

Despite amassing hundreds of shoeboxes in previous years, organisers of this year's Bicknoller-based collection said donations have, so far, been much thinner on the ground.

Jean Pennington-Ridge, who co-ordinates the Quantock Deanery's contribution to the Operation Christmas Child Appeal run by the Christian charity Samaritan's Purse, said: "The response has not been as great as it has in the past.

"I really do need the shoeboxes by Wednesday, November 18 at the latest, so if people could have one last push I'd be very grateful."

Last year's appeal netted 505 boxes of gifts and toiletries for children aged between two and 14 in Eastern Europe, particularly Romania.

Gifts can include everything from notebooks and pens, to puzzles and toys, toiletries and even inexpensive musical instruments, such as mouth organs or xylophones.

Mrs Pennington-Ridge said teenaged boys were often neglected as they were not as easy to buy for as girls and younger children and suggested suitable gifts for them could include baseball caps, sunglasses, sweets and playing cards.

The human impact of the appeal will be the subject of a special film event in Bicknoller parish church on Sunday, November 22, at 4pm.

A DVD has been produced to show people where their boxes of gifts have been sent over the last two years and includes images of the children receiving them.

Shoeboxes can be left with Mrs Pennington-Ridge at 26 Trendle Lane, Bicknoller, or at Minehead Methodist Church in The Avenue on either Friday or Saturday mornings.

Mrs Pennington-Ridge, who is pictured with some of this year's donations, also offers a collection service and can be contacted on 01984 656555.

Photo: Steve Guscott