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The Trussell Trust, which supports a network of food banks, said it had noticed a similar pattern across the country.

Sue Friec, from the charity, said there was also an increased demand for the food bank service, which serves an average of 68 families a week.

A food bank manager has criticised the UK's two-child benefit cap, saying many families in Worcester are struggling with food poverty.

"We know that nurses are using food banks so, at the moment, what we're saying is, nurses deserve more."

A church-run food bank said it had one of its "craziest" donations to date after receiving food from a cargo vessel at the centre of a North Sea collision.