White Christmas gift for hospice

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/7159421.stm

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Youngsters hoping for a white Christmas saw their dream come true at a hospice for sick children in Yorkshire after a businessman won a charity auction.

Children at Martin House Hospice at Boston Spa near Leeds found 10 tonnes of the real stuff on their front lawn on Christmas Eve.

Company chief Chris Hopkins bid £1,420 for the snow on the eBay auction site and had it delivered to the hospice.

He said bringing a smile to the children's faces was worth every penny.

The gift of a "personal winter wonderland" was put on the site by SNO! Zone who run indoor real snow slopes.

They wanted to raise money for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.

The 10-day listing had a starting bid of just 99p.

But Mr Hopkins decided the youngsters should have a real picture postcard Christmas.

He said: "We wanted to be able to give a Christmas present that would be truly unique and make a real difference.

"Christmas is for children and if we can bring even one smile to their faces on 24 December, it will be worth every penny."