Care worker Clare Harwood is a secret Santa with dozens of Christmas presents – and no one to give them to.

Clare, 26, of Milnsbridge, was touched by a radio station’s Christmas appeal for presents for needy children.

So she launched an appeal of her own on Facebook – and amassed 91 presents in just four days.

But when she contacted The Pulse’s Secret Santa Toy Appeal to hand over the gifts she was told she had missed the deadline, and Santa’s little helpers had no chance to deliver them in time for Christmas.

Clare was told the appeal could keep the presents for next Christmas instead.

“It was really disappointing because people had given these presents in good faith and we had run around collecting them all,” said Clare.

“Now I’ve got 91 presents for boys and girls aged from babies to 16 and nowhere for them to go.”

Clare has now turned to the Examiner and is appealing for any local charities able to play Santa on her behalf to get in touch.

“I just want the presents to go to children who really deserve them,” she said.

Clare went to Queensgate Market in Huddersfield on Sunday and saw a Christmas tree promoting Secret Santa.

People were invited to take a tag with the first name and age of a child on it and buy a present.

“When I saw the tree there were about 40 tags left and I just thought about all those children missing out,” she said.

“I knew the deadline was Sunday but I rang the market and they thought the deadline could be extended.

“So I appealed for presents on Facebook and got loads of them from family, friends and even people I didn’t know.”

Clare, mum Sharon – 51 on Christmas Day – and sister Nicola, 25, then rushed around until 10pm on Thursday collecting all the presents.

On Friday she excitedly rang appeal organisers telling them she had 91 presents only to be told: “You’re too late!”

Appeal organiser Phil Cavalier-Lumley, past president of Junior Chamber International Bradford, said Clare had done fantastically well but there had to be a deadline.

“I’m definitely not Santa Claus and we have to finish the appeal early so that the presents can be delivered.

“We don’t know which children they go to. They have to be delivered by care workers or social workers so we need time to make that happen.

“To collect so many presents in such a short space of time is brilliant and it’s a real shame we couldn’t take them. Clare should be really proud of what she’s achieved.”

Charities wanting to take some of the presents can ring Clare on 07595 737420.