A SURGE in demand on the city's foodbank is expected throughout the summer holidays as parents struggle to feed their children.

Volunteers from Worcester Foodbank hope they can collect five tonnes of food from the city's two Tesco supermarkets to help cope with the expected increase in referrals.

As schools break up for six weeks in the summer, parents struggling financially will not be able to rely on free meals for their children and many will be forced to visit the foodbank in Carden Close, Worcester.

In 2013, the foodbank saw demand from families increase by almost a third in the first two weeks of the summer holidays and are expecting a similar spike this year.

Shoppers can help relieve the pressure on the service by adding extra items to their basket or trolley which can be left with volunteers at Tesco in Warndon and St Peter's from Thursday to Saturday (July 2 to 4).

During 2014 to 2015, the centre handed out 38 tonnes of food to almost 4,000 people.

Grahame Lucas, Worcester Foodbank manager, said: “With no free school meals to rely on many children from struggling families face the miserable prospect of going hungry during the holidays.

“That’s why the success of these supermarket collections is so important to make sure we have everything we need to feed them and the hundreds of other hungry people who have nowhere else to turn.”

Volunteers will be handing out shopping lists featuring items the foodbank needs and asking customers to consider purchasing something which they can donate as they leave the store.