Volunteers will be out of force to help support vulnerable children fleeing domestic violence.

Children’s charity The Buddy Bag Foundation, which supports children escaping violent home lives, will be packing 180 support bags for children who go in to emergency care.

The charity has supported more than 15,000 children since it started in January 2015 and provides packs of toys and essentials to children taken in to emergency care.

On Saturday, volunteers in Witham put together the latest selection of treasured bags which will go out to refuges across the country.

Founder Karen Williams said: “Every bag we pack means that we are helping one more child who desperately needs our support at such a traumatic time in their life.

“It may seem like such a little thing but every volunteer who has helped to pack a bag or company which has donated items such as toothbrushes, books or toys is helping to make a really big difference to young people’s lives.

"I cannot thank the volunteers and donators enough.”

The youngsters, who often leave situations of domestic violence at short notice, leave all of their own possessions behind so the Buddy Bag gives them treasured toys and essentials they can call their own.

Mrs Williams started the charity after finding out about a similar scheme in Australia.

Volunteers help each month to pack toys and essential items in to age specific bags as part of the Buddy Bag scheme.

The bags are then distributed to refuges across the country for children taken in to emergency care.

For information visit buddybagfoundation.co.uk.