Woking couple went bearing gifts

The plight was under the guise of 'Operation Christmas Child' which is an annual project where schools and families donate toys and sweets to be put in shoeboxes and sent to needy kids with a message of hope.

Retired Stephen, who is a volunteer for the project, said: "We spent five days in all with the first two days based in Campulung, a town located on the southern edge of the Transylvanian mountains 70 miles north west of Bucharest.

"We visited some fairly remote villages where special events were arranged by our partners. Everywhere we were greeted with great kindness and courtesy and also by singing and music."

For the second part of their trip the group, which included 13 other people, took an internal flight to Cluj in the Transylvania area of Western Romania.

Stephen said: "The shoeboxes which we gave out were received with huge appreciation and for most children this was the only Christmas present they would receive."

Stephen added that some of the children needed reassurance that the presents were theirs because they were so surprised.

He said: "All in all, we felt that the trip blessed us as much as the children although they were all delighted to receive their boxes."