A NEW centre has opened to help distribute thousands of donations to flood victims across South Lakeland.

Located at Kendal’s Westmorland Shopping Centre, the flood relief centre will be run by the King's Food Bank.

It will include a food and clothing bank to give out donations following the devastating floods which destroyed hundreds of homes and left many people without a home for Christmas.

King’s Food Bank organiser Rachael Ellis said: "We have had fantastic support. We have been inundated with offers of help."

The new centre is located at the back of the shopping centre, above Argos, and replaces the relief centre that was set up by Kendal Town Council at Kendal Town Hall.

It will be open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

The centre at the town hall is now closed.

In the short term the new centre at Westmorland Shopping Centre will provide immediate help to residents who need food, clothing, or cleaning products.

It is hoped that in the longer term it will become a one-stop-shop to provide advice for residents on a range of issues.

The Kendal Town Council flood relief centre at Kendal Town Hall was set up with the co-operation of South Lakeland District Council in the immediate aftermath of the flooding.

Kendal mayor Councillor Chris Hogg said: "We would like to thank the many, many people that have helped with the flood relief effort and volunteered at the town hall or brought donations down.

"There are far too many people to mention individually but there are some - and they know who they are - that really went 'the extra mile' to support the flood relief centre effort - it was an amazing demonstration of community spirit.''