CAN you survive on £1 a day? That was the challenge undertaken by staff at the Oxfam shop in Kingsbridge.

They took up the challenge joining nearly 17,000 from around the world to 'live below the line' for five days.

The global project aims to stand against extreme poverty and raise awareness of the 1.4 billion people who live below the poverty line. This equates to approx £1 per day.

The big challenge is to cover all their costs – often for the entire family. The Kingsbridge challenge was for all food and drink to cost less than £5 for the five days.

'You have to think about every last drop and grain of food you use' said Oxfam volunteers Meg Warren and Meg Roper.

'Sugar and salt have to be used really sparingly so that it lasts – food is very bland without it.

'It's been hard to go without the things we all take for granted – milk, tea, coffee, chocolate, fruit juices. We all did our menus several times before deciding how best to spend the money – was breast of Lamb a good idea for the whole five days? It was cheap but variety is what we missed.'

Pip Harris, manager of the Kingsbridge Oxfam, said: 'I have been really encouraged by the interest in the challenge we've taken and can't thank everyone enough for their amazing support.

'We have raised over £1,000 which just goes to show how the challenge has made people think.

'Oxfam is taking part in an ongoing campaign by more than 100 charities trying to address the global hunger crisis.

'I felt this challenge, though tough, would focus all our minds on the money we work so hard to raise, and those it helps.'