This nine year-old returned his Xbox so he could buy blankets for the homeless

A little boy has been praised for his generosity after he used his $300 (£224, €254) Christmas present to give blankets to the homeless.

Nine-year-old Mikah Frye was out shopping with his grandmother earlier this month when he noticed a number of homeless people wandering the streets.

The sight upset him so much he decided to do something about it once they returned home from their outing. He asked his grandmother to return his brand new Xbox and buy blankets for the neighbourhood's rough sleepers.

Mikah had hoped to open the gift on Christmas morning but thought the money would be better spent on those who needed it the most. They were able to buy 60 warm duvets and donated them to Access, a local charity that provides emergency accommodation.

"Not only will they have a nice warm blanket that they get to keep, everybody will get a blanket, but they're wrapped in Christ's love as well as Mikah's love", the charity's director said.

Grandmother Terry Bryant said the boy's family had first-hand experience with homelessness three years ago when their home was repossessed. This forced them to sleep in churches and other temporary shelters while they attempted to find a new place to live. That experience has made a lasting impression on Mikah.

"He knew what it was like to not have a blanket at night and to have to give it back. When they gave him a blanket, he had to give it back. And so the first thing he wanted to do was give a blanket that they could keep", Terry told local news station WJW.

"Feels really good a lot of people said 'you did good' and it just feels really good," said Mikah.

Staff at Microsoft, the company which produces the Xbox gaming system, caught wind of the boy's incredible act of generosity and decided to reward him for his selflessness. They surprised him by gifting him with his own console, complete with games and accessories, meaning he would now get the chance to play Xbox on Christmas morning.