Soldiers from Colchester's Military Corrective Training Centre have been lightening the load for shoppers at Sainsbury's Tollgate store in Stanway.

Eight soldiers under sentence spent 2 hours packing bags for customers at the checkout, and collected £878.67 in donations for St Helena Hospice's work across north Essex.

Heather Buxton, the charity's community and events fundraiser, said: "St Helena Hospice would like to say a big thank-you to all those who gave up their time to help raise this money."

Sgt Mark Nichol, who led the team, said: "This was all about putting something back into the community."