Hackney Night Shelter workers are "delighted" after raising around £50,000 in a Christmas appeal.

The fundraiser includes donations from Hackney businesses, schools, churches and pubs.

Mark Palframan, director at Hackney Night Shelter, said: "It was great.

"We'll be using the funds towards the cost of our new night shelter, which is due to open at the end of the month in the south of the borough.

"It is a suite of former council offices that we're getting rent free on a temporary basis."

The night shelter has been based in a building in Stoke Newington for the last two years and is now relocating.

One of the fundraisers came from a bakery with branches in Hackney and Newham, which raised £435 for the shelter.

Throughout December, Charles Artisan Bread donated 50p to the shelter for each pastry sold at its Clapton and Chobham bakeries.

Daniel Burke, owner and head baker, said: "What a better way to celebrate Christmas than to give back to Hackney Night Shelter?

"We strongly support and admire their work, so we [were] more [than] happy to do our part and help them."

Mark added: "We were delighted to receive this donation from the bakery which we will be using towards the cost of settting up our new night shelter for homeless people... aiming to accomodate about 20 people a night."