COLCHESTER Foodbank has called time on collecting for Christmas after being overwhelmed by a flood of generous donations.

The charity’s warehouse is packed to the brim and it is bringing in volunteers from the University of Essex to help make up the enormous donations into parcels.

Volunteer Judi Bastowlead said the charity had been “overwhelmed” by people’s generosity.

She said: “Yesterday we had a minibus full of donations.

“It was like the Tardis from Doctor Who, the donations just kept coming. It really is amazing.

“If people have already collected food then we are not going to turn people away, bring it in, but if you haven’t actually collected stuff yet, please leave it until the end of January.”

Last year the foodbank, based at Moorside Business Park, made up 150 standard parcels, which feed one to two people and 90 family parcels.

But they expect this year to far exceed that.

It is not known what has caused this year’s bumper collection.

But it is thought schools and harvest festival collections across the borough have helped.

However, while Colchester Foodbank is doing well, Clacton Foodbank is struggling.

Judi said: “At the moment it looks like we will be helping them. It’s always like this a bit at Christmas because it follows harvest festivals. It starts late September and then before you know it Christmas is on us.

“But this year does seem to be large.

“It does seem everyone has been more generous.”

The foodbank has called on people to start donating again from January and in the meantime to consider donating to Clacton Foodbank.