Chelsea Halfpenny, who plays Amy in Emmerdale, joined volunteers of the Charlie and Kathleen Dunnery Children’s Fund to hand out selection boxes to youngsters in Newcastle.

The CKDCF was set up by Egremont rock star Francis Dunnery in memory of his parents and holds a number of fundraising events throughout the year.

Mark Andrews, the charity’s local fundraiser, visited the Royal Victoria Infirmary to look at the facilities and see a futon chair-bed the charity had bought to allow parents to sleep alongside their children on the ward.

Mark and his helpers also visited Newcastle Racecourse to donate selection boxes to deserving youngsters, with the help of Emmerdale star Chelsea.

The 200 boxes, some of which were donated to the RVI ward, had been sold to the charity at a discount by Egremont Co-op, and were wrapped by Mark’s children Evie and Matthew, and friends Matthew Bland and Lauren Litt.