A SHOP assistant played the part of one of Santa's helpers to launch a campaign to raise money for some of the world's poorest people.
Fiona Spence, dressed as a green elf, started the collection of old mobile phones in a recycling scheme run by the Co-op store in Market Street, Holmfirth.
The Co-operative Group has joined forces with Oxfam to call on anyone who receives a new mobile phone this Christmas to go green and recycle their old one, in a bid to help the Third World.
To get the scheme going, Co-op staff in Holmfirth handed over their old mobiles.
Each working phone that Oxfam recycles is worth about £5 to the charity and can be used to buy tools, seeds and schoolbooks.
Empty inkjet and laser cartridges are also being recycled as part of the campaign. Store manager Becky Hall said: "There are an estimated 12m unwanted mobile phones in the UK and many people will receive new ones for Christmas this year, so their old ones are at the top of the Co-op's wish list.
"We urge all our customers to bring them into the store."
From January 3, freepost envelopes for old mobile phones and empty cartridges will be made available at more than 2,000 participating Co-op food stores.
