CHRISTMAS has been saved for youngsters at a Dorset hospice thanks to kind supermarket staff.

Staff at Ferndown’s Tesco Superstore rushed to help Julia’s House hospice after wrapped presents for young people were damaged by flooding.

The presents, which had been collected by staff at the hospice for children and young people ahead of Christmas, were being kept in the nurses’ office when parts of it flooded due to severe weather.

When the colleagues at the store heard the news, they quickly rallied to buy and donate as many items as they could.

Justin Kline, manager at the store, said: “What’s happened is so terrible. Julia’s House is a wonderful charity and they do such an incredible job of caring for children's with life-limiting illnesses and their families.

“When we heard about the flooding, we wanted to do anything we could to help. We’ve been able to donate a TV, electrical items, a drone, DVDs, toiletries – anything we can.

“I hope these presents bring a bit of extra joy to the children and to the staff at Christmas, because they all do really deserve it.”

Martin Edwards, CEO at Julia’s House, said: “We’re so grateful to everyone at the Ferndown Tesco store.

“They responded instantly to our call for help and their gifts have been so generous. The children will be very excited when they open them on Christmas Day."

He added: “We can’t thank the Ferndown team enough for rescuing Christmas for the families we support.”

Julia’s House is a children's hospice in Corfe Mullen and Devizes.

It cares for seriously ill children aged 0-18 and their families.

It is named after Julia Perks, a paediatric nurse who died in 1997.

She particularly wanted to raise awareness of the need for more respite for the families of children with life-limiting illnesses.