A YOUNG Santa Claus handed out around 500 presents to children spending the holiday season in hospital - and was backed up by a group of elves dressed in red.

Young Champions winner Hollie Kyle brought back her successful Christmas present appeal this year to support youngsters spending what is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

The 12-year-old understands the experience better than most, after having to spend a stint in the facility when she was receiving treatment for juvenile arthritis - a rare variant of the condition that typically affects older people.

Following last year’s success - which eventually saw her appear on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway - the return received huge support, and Hollie was helped out by Barnsley FC players who assisted her in taking the multiple cart loads of presents this Monday.

In the end she collected around 500 presents, though her mum Laura admits that she ‘couldn’t count them all there were that many’.

Laura said: “She loved it and the players were all very nice.

“What she was most excited for was taking the money to buy the presents - we went to B and M and ended up with four trolley loads.

“We were having to empty one trolley and head back in.

“Our dining room ended up looking like a Smyths Toys Superstore.”