GENEROUS Colchester people have donated enough food to provide almost 23,000 meals.

So far, Tesco’s neighbourhood food collection has been given the equivalent of 22,983 meals across its seven Colchester stores in the run-up to this Christmas breaking all previous records.

Customers donated non-perishable food items such as long-life milk, cereals and tinned vegetables and fruit.

Volunteers from the Trussell Trust, FareShare, Rotary Club, BT and the British Red Cross joined Tesco colleagues in store to collect donations.

David McAuley, Trussell Trust chief executive, said: “This year, we’re seeing more people living on a financial knife-edge where any small crisis can cause them to go hungry.

“Thanks to incredible public kindness, many people who would’ve been forced to make tough choices between eating and heating will receive emergency food this winter.

Greg Sage, Tesco’s community director, said: “The response from our customers, colleagues and volunteers has been incredible.”