Two friends are overseeing a collection of clothing and household goods which will be donated to Somerset’s flood victims.

Laura Self, 25, and Rebecca Wilkins, 24, have been storing items, including bedding, clothing, plates and non-perishable food, at their homes in Trowbridge and Melksham, and plan to take them to a support centre in Bridgwater on Saturday.

The two friends felt they had to do something to help after seeing in the news the damage the flooding has caused to people’s homes.

The pair set up a Facebook page and received donations from across Wiltshire.

Miss Self said: “We felt we needed to do this and I’d like to think that if we needed the help others might come forward from elsewhere in the country and help our community.”

“Over the weekend it has gone crazy and we have received lots and lots of donations. We’ve had people who were preparing to sell stuff at car boot sales but decided to donate their items and support the collection instead.”

The women have been offered free use of trucks and vans to take the items to Bridgwater and will accept donations right up until this evening.

Miss Wilkins said: “I have got so many boxes piled up in my house and it shows how generous people can be.

“If we get enough interest we’d be happy to do another collection and drop after this one.”

Villagers in Bratton are also running a collection. Anyone wishing to donate can take goods to Bratton Pavilion from 8am-8pm on Friday, February 28 and between 10am-4pm on Saturday, March 1.

To find out more about Miss Self and Miss Wilkins’ collection search ‘Somerset we are here to help donation group’ on Facebook.

For more information about the Bratton collection, call Simone Brown on 07918 765795.