PATIENTS at Clacton Hospital received Christmas presents from supermarket staff.

Staff from the Asda store, in Bull Hill Road, Clacton, dressed as Santa’s elves and dropped by to deliver a selection of festive gifts.

Nearly 40 patients on the St Osyth Priory and Kate Grant wards were handed gifts which included books, toiletries, socks, flannels and Christmas decorations.

Kerry-May Surtees, integrated care manager for community hospitals at Anglian Community Enterprise, said: “We are extremely grateful to Asda for this wonderful gesture.

"All the patients were very pleased with the gifts they received.

"You could tell there had been a lot of thought put into the parcels.”