People in need across North Walsham will benefit from a £500 donation made by the town council to the local branch of the Cromer and District Foodbank.

Town mayor Barry Hester handed the cheque to Adrian Rudman, foodbank trustee and team leader of the North Walsham distribution centre, to go towards running costs for the centre.

Mr Rudman said: 'Our North Walsham distribution centre helped 475 residents including 179 children, with emergency food parcels in 2017/18, this donation will help us continue to provide the service we offer to North Walsham families and individuals, supporting them during times of crisis. In the autumn, we will see the role out of Universal Credit in this area and statistics released recently by the Trussell Trust show that in areas where UC has been introduced they have seen a 50pc increase in the number of referrals the towns support will make a the difference. We are extremely grateful.'

Mr Rudman said the foodbank had seen an increase in need as the years went by.

He added: 'At Cromer and District Foodbank, we don't think anyone in our community should have to face going hungry.

'That's why we provide three days' nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to us in crisis. We are part of a nationwide social network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.'