BRADFORD City players brought some late Christmas cheer to poorly children in Bradford Royal Infirmary yesterday.

The club made its annual visit to the hospital's children's wards, bringing club scarves, chocolates, books and DVDs to children being treated in hospital while most of their friends are enjoying their Christmas holidays.

After a run of wins that proved to be the perfect present for City fans, winger Mark Yeates and striker Billy Clarke popped into the hospital to hand out gifts to nearly 30 children in the three wards.

Supporting the event were the Friends of Bradford City Football Club, Shipley Bantams, Bradford Disability FC and the Keighley branch of Asda, which provided plenty of chocolate.

Earlier this month the club held a world record Christmas jumper wearing event that had raised £2,000 for the Bradford Hospitals' Children's Charity, which helps provide facilities for the children's wards.

More than 1,300 fans wore Christmas jumpers to the home game against Scunthorpe United on December 20, breaking the world record for most Christmas jumpers worn in one location in the process.

Although some of the children had been told about the visit, for others it was a surprise.

Handing out the gifts to the children yesterday, Mr Yeates said: "It is nice to help out in some way.

"A lot of these kids are fans, and it is a nice late Christmas present for them. We've got kids ourselves, so it is tough to see them in hospital over the Christmas period."

Umar Sidiq, 11, is a huge City fan, and was delighted that two of his heroes were stopping by his hospital bed bearing claret and amber gifts.

His dad Muhammed said: "This was a total surprise, he didn't expect this at all. He is totally overjoyed. He is a very big fan of the club."

Louis Robinson, five, of Wilsden, was another of the patients to be given Christmas gifts by the players.

His mum Melissa said it would be a great story to tell his granddad Philip Whiteoak, who is a huge fan of Bradford City, and has lived his life around their fixtures.

She said: "He is a massive fan, he has been going to see City since he was a little boy.

" He is going to be very, very jealous when he hears about this. It has really cheered Louis up today."

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