Members of Diss Christian Community Church visited Kosovo last month to distribute shoeboxes containing gifts.

The visit was part of the Operation Christmas Child appeal where shoeboxes are filled with gifts for needy children overseas.

In six days, the Diss team distributed 1,000 shoeboxes to help the Victory Church in Gjakove.

During their Diss appeal, the community church representatives collected 150 boxes among church colleagues, friends and local schools.

These were filled with crayons, soap, gloves, scarves, dolls and Action Men figures among other gifts.

Graham Blake, leader of Diss Christian Community Church, said: 'It is not just a church thing, it is quite a community venture. We are just one of the facilitators for the church.'

In Kosovo, 45pc of people are unemployed and live in poverty with 37pc below the poverty line.