ON your marks, get set, SHOP!

That was the cry in a Lowestoft store this week as a group of kind-hearted members of a Rotary Club went on a frantic trolley dash to help people in dire financial straits.

On Monday members of Lowestoft South Rotary Club went on a �600 shopping spree at the Lidl store on Peto Way to buy food for the Salvation Army to hand out to less fortunate people.

The club members bought a wide range of food, such as corned beef, beans, pineapple chunks and biscuits, that were put into food sacks to be handed out by the Salvation Army.

Monday's trolley dash is an annual event and the amount of items collected from shelves was enough to provide 75 sacks of food to be handed out.

As well as the �600 in food from the Rotary Club, another �200 of shopping, including Christmas puddings, was purchased by Ron Harrod of Pakefield-based Harrod UK and Lidl donated up to �80 of food.

Derek Howe, president of Lowestoft South Rotary Club, said: 'We understand that there are people who are only too pleased to received the food sacks as it will help them over Christmas.

'As a Rotary Club we are glad we can help.'

All of the food items collected in the trolley dash were taken by horse box to Harrods UK which made paper sacks to contain.

The 75 sacks were then delivered to the Salvation Army on Tuesday.

The Rotary Club has been holding the trolley dash for a couple of decades and for the last five years has held it at the Lidl store.

Manager Ricky Cook said: 'It is good to see people help other people who need help. We are glad we can support the Rotary Club – it is for a good cause.'