HAMPSHIRE police have played Santa for a group of heartbroken pensioners and replaced all their stolen raffle prizes for their annual Christmas draw.

The boxes of chocolates, baskets of fruit and bottles of wine were taken from sheltered accommodation Bassett Green Court in Bassett Green Village on Tuesday evening and the burglars even stole food from the communal fridge for the residents' festive party.

But after the pensioners called the police, they were delighted when they returned from their Christmas lunch at a nearby restaurant to find all their prizes, and more, had been replaced.

Resident Henry Reynolds, 80, who helped to organise the event, said: "We went out for Christmas lunch and when we came back the police had put in about 60 to 70 prizes.

"We usually have about 40 prizes ourselves, but the table was covered. There was fruit, chocolates, bottles of wine, all sorts of things like that.

"I think it's wonderful, it's just great."

Local beat officer PC Alex Willson came up with the idea of trying to replace the pensioners' presents and, with the help of Portswood Police Station, wardens from Southampton City Council's housing support department, neighbours and Hampshire Police Federation's charity fund, collected about £150 for the cause.

Many locals donated gifts for the draw while the duty manager at Safeway in Portswood offered PC Willson a ten per cent discount on items bought as raffle prizes.

PC Willson said: "It's my beat and they've been having problems with youths in the area that I've been trying to address.

"We managed to get some money from the wardens that run the other council homes. I raised some money at the station as well. I was trying to recover some of their Christmas spirit."