Thousands of meals were donated to help people in need over the festive season.

Thanks to customer donations at Tesco stores in Lowestoft and Saxmundham, a total of 3,628 meals were donated to Lowestoft Foodbank to help people across north Suffolk.

Lowestoft Foodbank, which provides three days worth of emergency food to local people in crisis, had called for the support of the community in the lead up to Christmas as they took part in the annual food collection.

On Thursday, November 29 and Friday, November 30, the Tesco superstores in Leisure Way, north Lowestoft and Church Street, Saxmundham took part in the collection, as shoppers were encouraged to donate long life foods to help The Trussell Trust's foodbank network.

Since the Lowestoft Foodbank opened in February 2018, it has provided 2,400 three day emergency food supplies to people in crisis – with 920 of these going to children.

The food that was donated to Lowestoft Foodbank is given in emergency food parcels to people who are referred because they cannot afford to feed themselves and their families.

Last month's collection saw Foodbank volunteers greet customers in store with a list of items most needed, with supermarket shoppers encouraged to pick up items to donate at the end of their shop.

Lowestoft Foodbank manager, Ben Parish, said: 'During the lead up to this Christmas our foodbank volunteers met hundreds of local people who were referred because they were at risk of going hungry.

'Thank you so much to everyone who donated during the food collection.

'We depend on the support of people in Lowestoft, Saxmundham and the surrounding area to make sure there is enough emergency food for people referred to us, so we're very grateful for the way the community pulled together in the lead up to this Christmas.

'Because of your support, in the last few weeks the foodbank was able to help hundreds of local people and prevent them from facing hunger.

'We would also like to say a huge thanks to the Tesco stores and staff who supported the event and local company Kingsley Healthcare for providing us with some amazing volunteers.'

To find out more about the Lowestoft Foodbank visit www.lowestoft.foodbank.org.uk