PC Sean Williams, PCSO Trevor Wellington, PC Michelle H-Levy, Captain Andy Stone (Salvation Army), PCSO Alex McGinley and PCSO Abigail Pennick. Photo: Metropolitan Police

Father Christmas will not be the only one visiting children in Tower Hamlets this year, with officers from East India and Lansbury Safer Neighbourhoods Team distributing gifts in the area.

Earlier this month, officers distributed letters to residents asking if they would donate money to buy gifts for children, and were overwhelmed by the generous response. The SNT team met with many residents while collecting donations and shopping for gifts, and also contributed personally to the collection.

The uniformed officers and PCSOs carried the silver-wrapped gifts in a procession through the snow, delivering them to Captain Andy Stone of the Salvation Army who had agreed to distribute them to local children. Many of the gifts were placed in two large boxes and arranged around the Christmas tree in the Salvation Army Hall.

PC Williams said: “We are so grateful to all the people that contributed that made this possible.  It goes so show we have a real community spirit on our ward.

“This sort of thing really does make everyone want to pull together, and on Christmas Day the kids will have a little extra cheer brought into their lives.”