THE Chipping Sodbury community is rallying round to help refugees across Europe.

Volunteers have set up a drop-off point for donations of items to help the thousands of men, women and children fleeing Syria.

Residents are invited to bring clothing, tents, sleeping bags and food items needed at makeshift camps in the French port of Calais and other European cities where desperate refugees are living.

The drop-off point is the Rounceval Carriage Company, on Rounceval Street, at the top of Chipping Sodbury High Street.

Company owner and Sodbury town councillor James Ball: "I'm hoping that this will be the start of something big and that the residents of Chipping Sodbury, Yate and the surrounding areas will join with efforts to help the refugees.

"It is tragic that it took the photograph of a dead child on a beach to engage the nation but sometimes there must be a catalyst to force change. May he and all of the others that have perished this summer trying to escape war, rest in peace."

He added: "If we all do something, no matter how small, it will make a difference."

A Facebook page has been created - https://www.facebook.com/sodburyhelpingrefugees.