BIG-hearted shop workers hope they have got the New Year wrapped up for charity.

A record number of customers in the Cleveland Centre, Middlesbrough, over the festive period kept a gift-wrapping service working flat out and donations, asked for in return, mounting up for the Teesside Hospice.

Centre manager David Ward said: "Our team of helpers wrapped nearly 1,500 presents and worked flat out during the ten days in the run-up to Christmas.''

He said the centre's band of "happy helpers" were wrapping purchases up to closing time on Christmas Eve.

Mr Ward said: "During the Christmas and New Year period, the centre is expected to raise nearly £2,000 for the Teesside Hospice from its Christmas wrapping service."

A last-minute Christmas shopping rush saw 570,000 visitors flock to the centre, making the mall's best Christmas trading week yet.