A TEEN angel has spent weeks preparing gifts for vulnerable families forced to flee from all they have after domestic abuse.

Franki King has donated 32 Christmas shoe boxes full of gifts to families who have fled domestic abuse in Basildon.

The 17-year-old got the idea of making a shoe box for the less fortunate after an appeal was made on social media.

However, after completing one, she felt she could go further, and decided to fundraise to buy more gifts to help as many families as she possibly could.

Her mother, Rebecca King, 38, said: “She really felt like she could go further than just one, so she got the idea of asking friends and family for donations and gifts that she could use to fill more boxes.

“She literally spent around two-and-a-half weeks going around friends and family to ask for money and some donations, she worked so hard.

“Then, once she had anything, she went up to her room and worked away at packing and wrapping them all.”

The shoeboxes were filled with sweets, hygiene items such as soaps, shampoo, toothpaste, clothing items, little toys, colouring books, pens and pencils.

This is the first time the teen, who lives in Stanford-le-Hope and attends Gable Hall Sixth Form in Corringham, has done a charity campaign on this scale.

She and her family have thanked those who helped her reach the fantastic amount of boxes.

Rebecca added: “She took all the boxes to the refuge centre in Basildon on Wednesday.

“She couldn’t meet the families themselves, as they are under protection, but members of staff from the centre came out to meet her and take the boxes in.

“I think she felt really proud of how many she managed to do.

“I’ve never seen her work so hard.

“She was out and about everywhere.

“When she finished wrapping them all she left personal messages inside each one.”

Franki said: “All boxes wrapped, labelled and personal letters inside.

“I cannot thank everyone enough for all their kindness and donations.”

The shoeboxes will help keep the families provided with essentials during a tough time of the year when help is most needed.