RESIDENTS in Blackburn have sprung into action after seeing clips of the desperate conditions that refugees are living in on TV.

Shadsworth Junior School is sending teddy bears to the children in the makeshift camps with notes and pictures showing that someone cares as part of Project Paddington.

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The pupils have been raising funds through teddy bears’ picnics, teddy-to-school days, onesie days and cake sales in response to the growing humanitarian crisis.

Indeed, one child alone raised more than £300 last month selling baked treats.

The project, which has been coordinated in partnership with Community Church Blackburn, also raised almost £600 earlier this year to buy coats for the displaced youngsters, in recognition that nights are bitingly cold, even in the Middle East.

Trainee vicar Joy French, 40, said: “We are overwhelmed and delighted by the incredible response we have seen from schools and groups up and down the country.

“Nationally, we expect to deliver between 20,000 and 30,000 soft toys and teddy bears.

“Our strapline is ‘children helping children’ and I think there is a real need for children who have had everything taken away to know that other families care about them.”

Celebrities – including Gogglebox vicar Kate Bottley, Archbishop John Sentamu and We’re Going on a Bear Hunt author Michael Rosen – have all shown their support on Twitter via @ProjectPadding1.

Project Paddington is also encouraging supporters to take a #teddyselfie by posting a picture of themselves with their teddy on social media, texting PADDINGTON to 70660 to donate £5 to the fund.

All the money raised is going to help displaced families in Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Europe.

If you want to get involved with Project Paddington visit projectpaddington.com.