Five community pubs across the South East have collected over 160 advent calendars for local groups in need.

Pubs including the White Horse in Gosport and the Salisbury Arms in Southampton were part of the effort.

The calendars are set to bring festive cheer to those facing hardship.

Mark Brooke, managing director at Proper Pubs, said: "Whilst Christmas is a wonderful time of year, we understand for many that it can be incredibly challenging.

"I’m delighted that we ran this initiative as it stands testament to the importance of community pubs and I hope it also goes someway in showing our appreciation for the ongoing support we have continued to receive from our loyal customers this year."

Proper Pubs, part of Admiral Taverns, organised the collection, which resulted in more than 16,000 calendars being gathered across the country.

These will be distributed to food banks, schools, and hospitals.