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Weekly newspaper recreates Christmas for flood victims

A weekly newspaper staged a re-creation of Christmas for people on its patch whose homes were flooded over the festive period.

Dozens of people in the Yalding area of Kent were evacuated from their homes on Christmas Eve when the floods struck, and spent a number of days in temporary accommodation.

So the Kent Messenger decided to re-stage the Christmas celebrations over the May Bank Holiday.

Their Feast for the Flooded campaign saw more than 60 people sit down to a three-course lunch on Saturday at The Apprentice restaurant.

The catering department at Mid Kent College lent a hand and the restaurant was decked out in Christmas decorations.

Trainee reporter James Walker, who had reported on the devastation caused by the flooding, spearheaded the campaign.

Kent Messenger editor Denise Eaton said: “This was a tremendous example of local newspapers supporting their local communities – and an absolutely magnificent achievement by James.”