NEEDY children across Southampton will have at least one reason to smile this Christmas thanks to businesses, schools and community groups in the city taking part in this year's Toy Appeal.

One of the south's biggest toy appeals has got off to a flying start as more than 2,500 gift tags have already been sent out, weeks before the official launch.

For 27 years the Daily Echo-backed Southampton Voluntary Services (SVS) annual toy appeal has been spreading the festive spirit to thousands of needy children across the city.

Last year, thanks to the generosity of hundreds of people, 4,500 toys were donated to the appeal, ensuring Christmas was a happy one for the children and their parents.

John Lewis has supported the Toy Appeal for 12 years. It has already collected 200 gift tags with more presents pouring in.

Kate Walker, John Lewis charity secretary, said: "It is nice to give something to children locally who would not normally get a present.

"Often the children are the carers and their parents cannot go and buy presents."

The concept behind the toy appeal is simple - organisations and charities working with some of the neediest children in Hampshire request the number of presents they need.

Each child's name, age and gender is then written on a gift tag and SVS distribute these tags to businesses, schools, community groups and individuals who are willing to buy presents.

A present is then bought for the child on the gift tag up to the value of £10, which is wrapped with the label attached and returned to either SVS direct or at designated collection points.

All presents are collected by SVS volunteers at the beginning of December, before being sorted and returned to the organisations and charities that requested them, ready to give to the children at Christmas.

Jacqui Honeywell, toy appeal co-ordinator for SVS, said: "Part of the success of the appeal lies in the fact that people are buying gifts for a named child and there is a great amount of generosity and care taken over the buying and wrapping of the presents.

"The response we have had for gift tags so far this year has been great and already we have had 42 organisations join the appeal and I have sent out 2,743 tags."