YOUNG patients in the children's ward at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport had a special visit on Saturday from Santa and friends.

Chepstow and District Round Table organised the visit, bringing along £1,000 worth of presents for those children who will remain in hospital this Christmas.

And it was an emotional day for everyone involved, Round Table member Kevin Jordan said.

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"It's always the hardest but the most rewarding event of the year for the Round Table," he said. "One little girl was asleep and woke up as Santa poked his head around the door. She gave him a beaming smile – a few of the lads had lumps in their throat."

The organisation used some of the money raised from its annual fireworks display in Chepstow to pay for the gifts – one for every child that the ward could look after this Christmas.

The Round Table members left any extra presents behind, so that any children who are admitted to the Royal Gwent in the next few days will also receive a gift.

"We're all about raising money locally for local causes," Mr Jordan said. "If any children in Chepstow are taken ill, the Royal Gwent is the first place they're taken.

"The children there are potentially going to miss out on Christmas [at home], so it's nice to take a bit of Christmas to them."

On their way out of the hospital, the group stopped off at the entrance to the A&E department to give some chocolates to the ambulance crews.