Operation Christmas Child gathered together the shoeboxes, which contain presents donated by members of the public, schools, companies, churches and organisations from communities across the region, including Coldstream, Duns, Eyemouth, Galashiels, Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso, Lauder, Melrose, Peebles and Selkirk.

The shoeboxes were checked in at the Operation Christmas Child processing centre at Kirkintilloch before being sent onwards to their final destinations.

"On behalf of Operation Christmas Child and all our volunteers, I just want to send a huge 'thank you' to every single person who donated a shoebox this year," said charity group spokesman Chris Thomson.

"This has been a hard year for many people in the Borders and we are just knocked out by the fact so many of them have put together a shoebox.

"It has such a positive effect on the child that receives it and I want everyone here to know that their gifts make a real difference.

"When they arrive in the destination country, the shoeboxes are distributed on the basis of need by local organisations, charities and churches to children aged between two and 14, many living in orphanages, street shelters, hospitals, displaced persons camps or whose families are facing hardship due to poverty.

"The joy that the shoeboxes bring lightens their lives, and the care and consideration that people here put into choosing their gifts shines through in the personal touches and in the items they send."

Ian Macleod, head of operations and logistics for Operation Christmas Child, added: "The last lorry loads of shoeboxes from the UK have left and, while we are still tallying up the final numbers, we will be distributing more than 1.1million – a quite outstanding figure.

"I would like to add my thanks to everyone in the Borders who has taken part in Operation Christmas Child – you really have made Christmas better for many, many children."