More than 100 seriously impoverished children around the world will be receiving toys, toothbrushes and educational equipment thanks to Cullingworth Primary School pupils.

The schoolchildren have collected around 160 boxes for the Samaritan’s Purse Children’s Shoebox Appeal for Christmas.

Year six teaching assistant Julie Wood, who has co-ordinated the shoebox appeal for the last six years, said the boxes went to Eastern Europe and Africa.

She said: “The children at our school are very privileged and lucky and this is them giving something back to society.

“I asked them to look around their bedrooms and find any old toys in good condition that someone else could play with and I also said that if they put in pencils and paper it could allow a child in Africa to go to school.

“I explained to them that African children cannot go to school without that equipment and they find that hard to believe.

“We put sweeties in the boxes too and I tell pupils that those children have probably never tasted sweets before.

“Christmas is so commercial these days and for two weeks this makes the children think about those children less fortunate than they are.”

Toothbrushes and toothpaste have also been put into boxes.

Staff and pupils are later shown a DVD of the boxes being received.

Ms Wood said: “I daren’t watch it, it makes you cry to see their smiling faces.”

She thanked Brantano Footwear, in Keighley, for supplying the shoeboxes.