COLLEAGUES at a Northwich supermarket have put together a stock of surprises for men and women serving in the Armed Forces in Afghanistan.

Staff at Sainsbury’s, in Venables Road, put together 35 boxes of treats as part of their work for Armed Forces Day.

The boxes were presented to Jim and Tina Cagna, whose son Lance Corporal Nathan Cagna is currently serving in the Armed Forces.

Steve King, manager of the Northwich branch, said: “Jim is a colleague whose son is in the forces at the moment and Tina is on a parent group that gives support to other parents at difficult times.

“We also have other colleagues who have sons and daughters in the forces so it’s quite close to us as a store.

“The guys out in Afghanistan really do look forward to these boxes as some don’t get any – and they are a great surprise when they do get them.”

The boxes are collected and distributed by voluntary organisation Operation Shoebox UK.

Lance Corporal Cagna described the parcels as ‘happy boxes’ and said: “It's great when the parcels come from family or friends as you get loads of things you wanted and can share with everyone, which is brilliant after spending a long day working hard.

“If it's a welfare box it's great fun because you get some really random and crazy things inside so you never know what you're going to get which is brilliant.

“Knowing people care enough to send the parcels means so much to us all out here – thank you.”