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More than 1,000 selection boxes donated to weekly’s appeal

More than 1,000 chocolate selection boxes will be given to children in need at Christmas after a weekly newspaper’s record-breaking appeal.

The MK News has collected a total of 1,250 boxes for the Emily’s Star charity, beating last year’s total of 833.

The treats have now been dished out to the children’s ward and neonatal units at Milton Keynes University Hospital.

The surplus boxes will also be given to hospices, food banks and other good causes in the Milton Keynes area.

MK Xmas

The appeal’s success provided a splash for yesterday’s edition of the News, pictured above.

The Emily’s Star charity was set up to raise awareness of serious genetic condition Trisomy 18 after sufferer Emily Mainwaring died 26 days after she was born in 2012.

It grants wishes to families who have a child with a life limiting illness and makes neonatal boxes for mums and their premature or underweight babies.

Emily’s mum Katie Elmer told the News: “It is truly overwhelming and I really didn’t think we would get this many.

“I just wanted to match last year to make children smile. Not only have we beaten it but we had added an extra 50pc.”