THE Secret Santa appeal hit its Christmas present target of 7,000 gifts — thanks to the generosity of people across Blackburn with Darwen.

Reaching this goal meant that 1,000 children across the borough woke up yesterday morning with a “red sack of joy”, each containing seven gifts.

Company directors Phil and Karen Boulding are thanking every person who helped or donated to the appeal which saw needy families wake up with smiles on their face on Christmas morning.

Managing director of Secret Santa, Phil, said “We thought Covid-19 had stolen Christmas from us.

“How could we possibly pull together 7,000 toys to go into our 1,000 sacks when with seven weeks to go to Christmas when we had to close our shop for four of them?

“Despite this we believed that the people of Blackburn with Darwen would not allow us to fail and they did not.”

Phil and his wife Karen, who operate the community interest company, are celebrating their fourth successful Christmas collecting gifts to be given out to families in need.

Phil added: “They came in their hordes to donate money and toys. Big businesses, little businesses, shops and the people.

“Children came, young people came, adults came as did families - some with one present, some with a carrier full and lots with arms full of toys and games and books. It was unbelievably heart-warming to see the support we received in the year of Covid-19.”

The community interest company put together each sack of presents with love to help deprived families in the borough, but over the past few years, Phil said he has seen the number of families looking for support increase.

Blackburn with Darwen has seen a rise in child poverty of 8.2% from 30.9% to 39.1%, meaning two fifths of families struggle to give children a decent Christmas.

He said: “With child poverty hitting two out of every five families across Blackburn with Darwen and with the impact of Covid worsening things everywhere, we at Secret Santa have seen a level of support that we’ve not experienced before.”

After receiving such a huge amount of support the company invited parents who were struggling to afford a present for their child for Christmas to take a free present from the shop.

Karen said: “We reached our goal and now we are saying thank you. Without our supporters, none of this would be possible.”