A MOTHER wants to thank kind-hearted staff at Mothercare who helped to save her daughter's Christmas.
Lynsey Rose, of Victoria Court, Grimsby, was a "damsel in distress" on Christmas Eve, when she was told her daughter Evie's main present would not arrive until after Boxing Day.
The single mum had ordered a dolls house from the Early Learning Centre for her two-year-old but the courier, City Link, had failed to deliver it on time.
In a desperate attempt to resolve the matter, Lynsey, 30, dashed to Mothercare in Freshney Place, Grimsby, to see if they had any more in stock.
To her dismay they had sold out except for the one used as their window display.
However, when she explained her plight, the kind-hearted staff were more than happy to "donate" this to her free of charge, trusting her to return it once the new one had arrived.
Lynsey said: "It was not their fault that the dolls house had not been delivered, so they had no obligation to do what they did.
"I can not thank them enough though. They helped save Christmas and gave Evie the best day ever.
"She has not stopped playing with the house since Christmas day."
Everyone is strapped for cash around the festive period but it took Lynsey months to save up for the dolls house.
She added: "I am very grateful that staff at the store were able to lend me the house for free.
"If not, I would have had to spend a weeks worth of rent to buy it, something I could not afford to do.
"A donation as small as this made a big difference to us and I just cannot praise the shop enough.
"Evie's face lit up on Christmas day and, as a parent, that is all you want to see.
"I have since received the house I originally bought, so I returned the window display one back to Mothercare."
The dolls house is the first big toy that Evie has owned, as in the past she has played with items Lynsey had as a child.
She said: "Some of the toys she plays with are more than 25 years old.
"One in particular is a toy chimney pot. I am so happy she now has her own modern toy.
"Evie attends the Central Children's Centre in Grimsby, which has similar dolls houses.
"That is where the idea came from to get her one."
Talking to the characters inside her dolls house, Evie said: "This is my princess house and it is very nice.
"Santa brought me it for Christmas."
Staff at Mothercare say they try to help out as much as possible.
Sue Bell, a supervisor for the Grimsby branch which helped Lynsey, said: "We are glad Evie was able to open her dolls house on Christmas day.
"Lynsey came into the store on Christmas Eve very distressed but very polite.
"Giving her the house to take away was a one off donation that we knew would help her out and we are grateful for her appreciation."
