Generous shoppers at Tesco stores in Merton have dug deep and donated 8,376 meals in just three days as part of the sixth Neighbourhood Food Collection.

More than 2.7 tonnes of canned, dried and long-life food were donated at the 10 Tesco outlets across the borough to foodbank charity the Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare.

The figure is up 13 per cent on the amount collected in the borough last summer.

The nationwide initiative, now in its fourth year, provides hot meals and food parcels to those living in food poverty, many of whom are parents struggling with food costs due to lack of free school meals over the summer holidays.

The collection, which took place last week, raised a total of 422,395 meals in across the capital.

Lindsay Boswell, chief executive of FareShare, said: "Yet again we have been blown away by everyone’s generosity.

"We are very grateful to Tesco and their colleagues for hosting the event, our amazing volunteers and partner organisations across the country who selflessly gave up their time to help collect food donations to the great British public who responded so generously to the call for action."