Generous students in Colchester have made more than 100 Christmas hampers to help vulnerable families.

Pupils at the Colchester Sixth Form College, in North Hill, have made the parcels for young mums and those in need, including young people unable to spend Christmas with their family.

The annual collection is organised by the Student Charities Committee.

Siobhan Cordy-McKenna, committee co-ordinator at the college, said: “This is another fantastic effect from the students at The Sixth Form College, every year they get even more generous.”

Assistant principal Adrian Frost added: “Any visitors to our main reception area yesterday would have found entire floor covered with festive Christmas hampers.

“The annual collection is one of our well established Christmas traditions, alongside the carol concert, the Winter Wonderland event and the increasingly popular Christmas karaoke.

“Students from every tutor group work together to collect food and gifts and toys to fill the hampers, and several teams of staff also contribute.

“This year there was fierce competition to win the Best Decorated Hamper Award, with a rather a rather minimal but stylish penguin-themed box nabbing the prize.

“Well done to all concerned. The Hamper Collection has been a lovely finale to a busy year of head shaving, leg waxing, cookie baking, bucket-shaking and ice-bucketing for the charities committee.”