A FORMER Swindon football star is spreading the word to get people donating to help families struggling during the coronavirus crisis.

Phil King who played for Town, Exeter City and Sheffield Wednesday in the 1980s and 90s is supporting his friend Leroy Wilson, who is collecting food donations.

Leroy said: “I’ve been filling up my car with what people have given to us. One week we had £900 of food donated, so there’s a serious amount of parcels being given out.”

Every Saturday he opens the store on the High Street between 9.30am and 12.30pm for people to donate food.

Ex-defender Phil said: “I've been friends with Leroy for about 20 years. When he rang me to tell me about what he was doing I was more than happy to help.

“I’ve been posting on social media to get the word out there and to get more people involved. It’s a great thing he’s doing.”

Leroy from Charles Geddes Carpets in Royal Wootton Bassett is giving the food donations to the town's Covid-19 Mutual Aid group, which delivers food parcels vulnerable people.

Leroy said: “One of the biggest reasons we are having to help people is because they are needing to isolate.

"Some of them are only just surviving. It meant everything to me to be able to help because I understand what it’s like to just scrape by because it’s what I had to do growing up.

“I met a man recently who lost his job a couple weeks before lockdown and now he can’t get another job.

"He’s been desperate for food and has had no money to spend, so we have worked to help him during this time.

"It’s been quite a surprise that thousands of people have needed the help of this group and others like it because of this pandemic.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people are living hand to mouth. A lot of people don’t have £5,000 in the bank just in case of a global emergency. That’s why I wanted to help those who are struggling.”

Health workers and councillors in Wootton Bassett launched their social media group in March to help vulnerable people.

They have been helping people who are self-isolating and they’re unable to do their own food shops, or those who simply can’t afford it.

Members of the group have picked up prescriptions and called anyone who is lonely in the pandemic to keep them company.