A BIG-HEARTED Tranent schoolboy has handed over more than 50 bags of food to help ensure people across East Lothian do not go hungry at Christmas.

Ten-year-old Archie Strang was joined by school friend Lucas Leishman on Saturday morning in collecting food from neighbours in the Bankpark area.

The youngster, in P6 at Sanderson’s Wynd Primary School, posted letters through neighbours’ doors highlighting his upcoming collection for East Lothian Foodbank.

His mum Heather was delighted with the response. She said: “It went really well and we got over 50 bags of food. We dropped them off at Tranent Library and they were delighted and are going to get them to the foodbank.”

Residents near Archie’s home were asked to donate items ranging from mince pies and biscuits to bread sauce, tinned carrots and sweetcorn and Christmas pudding.

Among those doing their bit was Councillor Kenny McLeod, who described the youngster as “a wee star”.

He said: “It was great, absolutely fantastic. He did it last year as well as this year. I take my hat off to the wee guy.”

Ahead of the collection, Archie told the Courier: “I was wanting to do it because of all the people that do not have money and need food.

“A lot of people at Christmas cannot celebrate like us and quite a lot of them have to go hungry and don’t have the same joy as us.

“I wanted to do it, not to be a hero, but I was trying to do it so that everyone could be happy around Tranent and to try to encourage other kids to do being doing it too.”

Peter Dicker, foodbank manager, said: “It is a wonderful effort by young Archie.”