FOUR community psychiatric nurses, from Clifton House resource centre, in Thornaby, have been handing out plenty of Christmas cheer over the festive period.

Thanks to their fundraising efforts, they have been able to provide 66 food hampers, which have been given to mental health service users in the Stockton, Billingham and Thornaby, who are on their own at Christmas.

The £1,600 needed for the hampers was raised over two fundraising nights at Stockton Bowling Club.

The hampers were delivered to the patients' homes by their care co-ordinators from the mental health resource centre.

Stephen Bell, from Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS, said: "To some of our service users who are on their own at this festive time, Christmas Day is just another day, and hampers like these go a little way to making it special."

Sainsbury's, at Whitehouse Farm, in Stockton, also lent a hand by giving its time to pack the hampers.