Woman left with three pence in bank account says first food parcel felt like Christmas

• Watch Max Walsh's report

A woman who had just three pence left in her bank account says she would have struggled to survive the last six month without turning to a foodbank.

Heather Windows, 61, has a long term chronic pain condition known as fibromyalgia. It's left her struggling with her mobility and unable to work.

Heather said: "I'm a really proud person and if I can manage like I have done my whole life, I will. I'm not used to people helping me when I'm struggling. It actually makes me emotional.

"The foodbank were really helpful and they gave me this food parcel and it felt like Christmas."

Heather only started using the Bristol North West Foodbank for the first time six months ago.

Previously she had been able to manage on her disability benefits - personal independence payments (PIP) and employment support allowance (ESA)- to get by. But with those benefits remaining fixed and the cost of living rising, she says the last year has been difficult.

Heather said: "I'm constantly thinking and worrying about money. Everyday. I don't know how to readjust anymore.

"Every penny is spent sensibly. I'm not spending money on going to the pub or cinema because I simply can't do that."

The Trussell Trust charity says there is an "accelerating crisis" across the South West with a dramatic increase in the need for emergency food.

The latest figures have revealed 175,000 food parcels were distributed across the South West in the last 12 months - a 7% rise on pre-pandemic levels.

Emma Revie, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: "People in the South West are telling us they're skipping meals so they can feed their children. That they are turning off essential appliances so they can afford internet access for their kids to do their homework.

"How can this be right in a society like ours? And yet food banks in our network tell us this is only set to get worse as their communities are pushed deeper into financial hardship.

"No one's income should fall so dangerously low that they cannot afford to stay fed, warm and dry."

A government spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures on the cost of living and we are doing what we can to help, including spending £22 billion across the next financial year to support people with energy bills and cut fuel duty.

“For the hardest hit, we’re putting an average of £1,000 more per year into the pockets of working families on Universal Credit, have also boosted the minimum wage by more than £1,000 a year for full-time workers and our Household Support Fund is there to help with the cost of everyday essentials.”