A CHARITY is calling on householders in the North-East to donate any unwanted presents.

The British Heart Foundation is appealing to those left disappointed this Christmas to donate unwanted gifts to the charity.

“We love the gifts you don’t,” said Allison Swaine-Hughes, retail director at the British Heart Foundation. “This year, our shops are open from 27th December, when we will welcome everything from good quality clothes, shoes, handbags and jewellery to DVDs, CDs, books and children’s toys.

"Electrical items can also be donated to one of our 180 furniture and electrical stores, so think of us when re-gifting that blender or coffee machine.

“If you want to donate a gift or cut down the clutter after the festive season, then just drop your donations in at your local BHF shop or take advantage of our free collection service. Your quality items will be saved from landfill and help us raise funds for vital research into heart and circulatory diseases.”

The British Heart Foundation has 740 shops across the UK, which help raise about £30million a year for research into diseases of the heart and circulatory system.

Last year, the charity saved more than 74,000 tonnes of items from landfill, which helped prevent 53,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

This included 15,000 tonnes of second-hand clothes and 180,000 sofas.

Each year, more-than 7,000 people in the North-East lose their life to heart and circulatory diseases, while there are currently 370,000 people living with these conditions.