A SITCOM star has given a £10,000 Christmas gift to a York charity.

Actor, producer and star of BBC show Mrs Brown's Boys made the donation to help women and children in the refuges run by IDAS, the Independent Domestic Abuse Service.

Rory was announced as a patron of the charity earlier this year, and was moved to make the donation after meeting some of the women and children who use the refuge in a visit this summer, and heard their stories about escaping domestic violence.

He said: "I am extremely proud to be patron of IDAS. When I met some of the children in the refuge garden it made me realise just how important it was for them to be able to play, and have carefree moments, putting violence and abuse behind them for a while.

"I vowed then to do my bit to help victims of domestic abuse to have a safe place to live, to restart their lives and help innocent children recover. They totally captured my heart."

Sarah Hill, CEO of the charity, said: "Everyone who met Rory still talks about the day, as it totally lifted their spirits, including our staff, who were bowled over by the way Rory brought some magic and laughter to the refuge. Rory’s donation represents the single biggest amount we have ever received from an individual and that say’s so much about his generosity and compassion.

"Through our emergency accommodation, 24-hour helpline and outreach support services we help keep over 4,000 families safe every year. We receive little funding specifically for children so this is a massive contribution helping us to keep more children safe."

*If you are concerned about domestic violence, IDAS can be contacted on 0300 0110110.