STAFF at Burnley Council have donated more than 40 cuddly toys to two local charities this Christmas.

Town Hall employees took part in a scheme run by Boots to collect vouchers that could be swapped for the soft toys.

But instead of keeping the vouchers for themselves they put them altogether and picked up 43 toys for Burnley Women's Refuge and the Salvation Army toy appeal.

The council's regeneration and development team came up with the idea and called in help from their colleagues in other departments in the run up to Christmas.

With help from other members of staff they collected 500 vouchers.

A spokesman for the council said: "In the run up to Christmas, Boots had a deal where if you spent £5 you got a voucher towards a soft toy. People were getting the odd voucher but then throwing it away, so the regeneration and development unit asked people to donate their vouchers."