Britain risks being dragged back to "the times of Charles Dickens" as tens of thousands look set to flood to foodbanks this Christmas, charity Action for Britain warned yesterday.

The charity said many faced the worst living standards since the second world war and they risked being trampled back further.

In a typical example of today's reality, one small northern English town's foodbank organisers said yesterday that they expect 200 people to turn up for a free dinner on Christmas Eve - up from its regular clientele of 120.