LITTLE Rebekah Morris got the Christmas she wanted thanks to generous Citizen readers.

Last week we told how callous thieves stole the 20-month-old's presents from under the tree. But within hours, readers came to the rescue - again!

Blackburn Churches Action donated a sack of toys and gifts flooded in from concerned readers.

They added Rebekah to their Xmas shopping and two carloads of presents were delivered by 'Santa' Andrea Muldoon (pictured above).

Overjoyed mum Diane, 21, of Dover Close, Blackburn, said: "I can't adequately thank the Citizen and everyone else who has helped us. I wasn't looking forward to Christmas after the break-in. But when I got the presents for Rebekah it really cheered me up.

"I'll make sure she remembers it was the Citizen and its readers who made it possible. Getting the toys is the best news we've had in weeks."

Martin Douglas, general manager of Blackburn Churches Action, which gives furniture and cooking equipment to needy families, said it was pure chance they had the toys. "A pensioner who brought in some bedding asked if we could use any toys her granddaughter no longer wanted. It's quite exceptional really because I read the Citizen and told her of little Rebekah's story.

He added: "Since joining Churches Action I have been amazed at the generosity of Blackburn people towards families in need."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.