A business in Amesbury is stepping up to offer free meals for children during half-term following the government's decision not to extend the scheme.

Home care agency There4U will be offering free packed lunches for children who need them as a way to prevent kids from going hungry throughout the holidays.

Director Jo Broom said: "My daughter Dana who runs the business with me has got three children and she was very upset to think that there would be some children that would be struggling during half term and have not enough to eat so we thought what can we do in some small way to help.

"We decided to put the post on Facebook last night and the response was amazing. If we can make half term a little bit brighter for some children then we feel like we've done a good job."

All people have to do to request a free packed lunch is call the agency on 01722 774444 and arrange a time to collect it from their Solstice Park office between 12pm and 2pm.

Any allergies should be made known to staff during the call.

Since deciding to help, Jo, 55, says many in the local community have already contributed with some staff offering to make cakes and people stepping up to sponsor a child's meal.

A pub in Salisbury is also offering free meals for children Monday to Friday after being inspired by Marcus Rashford's campaign.

She added: "I know that foodbanks are extremely busy and people are struggling with work at the moment. The workplace is very uncertain and we're aware of that and aware of the fact that we're lucky because we are busy and we're able to offer people work so we're hugely thankful and this is our way of being grateful and help people that are not so lucky."

On Wednesday, Labour's motion calling for free school meals to be extended over school holidays until Easter 2021, was defeated by 261 votes to 322 – a majority of 61.

Salisbury MP John Glen was among the MPs voting against the motion on the basis that the provision for free school meals is "ordinarily term time only".

The MP reiterated that ending child poverty is "an absolute priority" but added: "we are already providing a range of other measures to support families".