Christmas isn't always the happiest time of the year

But for some it is one of the most difficult times of the year.

Whether it is the prospect of being alone over the festive season, feeling overly stressed or coping with the first Christmas since a loved one passed away, it can be a tough period.

But help is at hand in the form of the national charity Samaritans.

Volunteers up-and-down the country will be poised to answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week over Christmas and New Year.

Vernon Dodd from the Wolverhampton branch of the Samaritans said there is a spike in the number of calls made to them every year over the festive period.

He said: "We get 2,000 calls every month. Over the Christmas and New Year period we see an increase in calls by about 20 per cent.

"It's a bit of everything really. Calls are mainly about isolation and loneliness. It tends to be older people who call about that but it can be any age.

"They can call just to hear a voice on the other end of the phone. They just want to hear a human voice. It's not unusual for someone to stay on the phone for an hour."

Last month prince Charles visited the Wolverhampton branch, where he met with volunteers, commending them for their dedication to the vital charity.

Mr Dodd said the best way to cope if feeling down over Christmas was to share a problem with someone. A problem shared is a problem halved as they say.

He added: "The best way to cope over the Christmas period is to share your problem. Whatever it is and whatever you are going through it will help to talk.

"We are an emotional helpline."

The Stafford branch of the Samaritans has two volunteers that man the phones during every shift throughout the year. In total, the group has a healthy team of 68 volunteers.

Alan Alecock from the branch said less calls were made to them on Christmas Day compared to other days in the year. But he pointed at that it didn't mean fewer people were struggling. The drop was only because people tend not to want to bother Samaritans on December 25.

He said: "Over the year on average we get about 60 calls every day. On Christmas Day people don't want to bother us which is why many will not call or they have family obligations so don't call us."

Mr Alecock said people mainly called them as it was the first Christmas they'd had since a loved one had died. He continued: "The reason most people will call us is because Christmas is like an anniversary for them.

"It may be the first Christmas since a wife or husband died. It becomes a lot more poignant because of that. Or someone will be alone at Christmas.

"The worst thing that someone can do is keep their worries to themselves. That does not help. What we would encourage is that if you are feeling worried then share it.

"But you must pick your audience carefully. Don't go on social media sites like Facebook to vent your worries. That can sometimes be detrimental."

He continued: "Sometimes at Christmas someone's worries will all come at once. When people call us they have a big black cloud over them. "That's what it feels like to them. When they share their struggles, together we are able to break that cloud into little white clouds.

"When you strip your problems down one-by-one you can deal with them much better.

"When someone calls because it's the first Christmas without a certain loved one then that is manageable. But when it comes with a family member diagnosed with cancer and you are due to retire in the new year, that's when the big black cloud appears for people."

Last year, nationally Samaritans received more than 240,000 calls during the Christmas period. The charity has a total of 201 branches and phones are manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

In a survey recently carried out by the charity it was revealed more than 45 per cent of men said they felt more worried at Christmas than other times of the year.

A total of 48 per cent of men said they felt sad or depressed at Christmas time and 37 per cent admitted to feeling lonely at Christmas.

With men in the UK three times more likely than women to take their own lives, the charity is encouraging them to seek help and consider calling Samaritans if things are getting to them over the festive period. The online survey was completed by 140 men.

Catherine Johnstone, chief executive of Samaritans, said: "Many of our male callers have told us that Christmas is a tough time for them, which is why our inspirational volunteers will be available round the clock, for anyone who is struggling to cope, including on Christmas Day."

New research also shows nearly a quarter of elderly people are not looking forward to Christmas because of loneliness and fears that it will bring back bad memories.

This year 23 per cent of those aged over 65 - the equivalent of 2.5 million people in Britain - suggested that the festive season would not be a happy one.

The research revealed that nearly 400,000 pensioners are dreading the prospect of a lonely Christmas, while 650,000 worried the festive season 'brings back too many memories of those who have passed away'.

The disclosure, in a study by Age UK, suggested that the effects of loneliness increase during the winter months with 2.1 million people worried about not being able to go outdoors as much because of shorter, darker days and poor weather conditions.

Anyone who wants to volunteer for Samaritans should call 08705 627282 or go to www.samaritans.org

To talk to Samaritans about a problem call 0845 7909090.