A SEA of abandoned tents is a familiar image after a music festival, but a charity is working closely with one organisers to send them to refugees around the world.

For the last three years Colwall-based People in Motion have gathered up tents, blankets and sleeping bags left behind by festival goers at Nozstock, near Bromyard.

Previous donations to the charity have been sent to help refugees in Syria, Greece and northern France.

Elaine Lawson co-founded the charity in 2015, the same year as she took several trips to Calais, with her daughter, to volunteer in refugee camps.

"People in Motion send aid and things that are needed abroad, we do tent salvages where we also collect blankets and sleeping bags," Ms Lawson said.

"We take them to northern France at the moment where they're desperately needed. It's good for Nozstock because they aren't left with lots of waste.

"We would do more, but as it's such a small team we find it difficult.

"We had a pop up shop where people can pay what they can afford, it's how we sell donations that aren't suitable for refugees.

"We raised £1,000 at Nozstock this year, we left with two vans full of tents, sleeping bags and camping equipment."

Long life food that wasn't suitable to send was given to Hereford Food Bank.

The music and performing arts festival has a number of green initiatives it puts into place every year, including an 'eco bond' which encourages people to collect rubbish from the campsite.

Organisers said abandoned tents are one of the biggest issues facing the industry.

"We are very proud to be partnered with People In Motion to work on reducing waste at our festival and putting abandoned tents to good use," said the festival's Creative Director Ella Nosworthy.

"People In Motion have attended Nozstock for the last few years collecting tents, unperishable food items and camping equipment which are sent to help displaced people throughout Europe.

"Abandoned tents is a huge problem within the festival industry and the work People In Motion do alleviate the refugee crisis is so important."