AN ARMY of local cafes and restaurants have answered Marcus Rashford's rallying call to offer free meals for kids during half-term.

The children's meal champion, 22, said he was "blown away" by all the small businesses offering their help after MPs rejected a motion to extend free school meals over the holidays.

The Manchester United striker posted a passionate message on his Twitter account yesterday pleading with the Government to extend free school meals after MPs rejected his motion.

And the England forward has inspired eateries around the nation to help out those in need.

Rashford began tweeting the details of more than 20 locations across Britain last night and continued to list them on his account this morning.

They include Bolton, Liverpool, Wirral, Sheffield, Wigan, Bristol and Devon, Whitley Bay, Staffordshire, Nottingham, Stevenage, Teesdale , Anglesey, Whitehaven, Watford and County Durham.

One location shared by the footie ace, Berry's Tearoom in Cumbria, told customers: "It's half term next week and I know a lot of families are struggling. We are offering a packed lunch to anyone who needs it for their children."

Another, Mumtaz Leeds, wrote: "This is NOT about politics. This is about doing our part to help."

Thanking them for their support, Marcus wrote on Twitter: "Blown away by news of local businesses stepping up to fill the voucher scheme deficit during the October half term.

"Selflessness, kindness, togetherness, this is the England I know."

He also let parents know which councils are offering free meal vouchers across the country in a generous bid to help them out.

They include Liverpool City Council which this morning announced it would provide 20,000 kids from struggling families with free meal vouchers over the half-term.

It comes as McDonald's announced it would offer 1 million free school meals for families – so that kids can be fed over the half-term.

The fast food giant has joined the Manchester United and England ace's campaign to feed families in need – as restaurants up and down Britain pledge food.

Twitter users were quick to show their support for Rashford's campaign, with many sharing locations offering free food near them.

One person wrote: "We are all behind you every step."

Another added: "The things you try and do for children is incredible… Really are class for what you try and do."

More than 200 children's writers also joined his fight, with Children's laureate Cressida Cowell, David Baddiel and Frank Cottrell Boyce all signing an open letter which calls for "official" financial help.

In their letter, they write that "no child in this nation should go hungry this winter" because of the "unique position children and their families have been placed in because of this pandemic".

CAMPAIGN CONTINUES

Yesterday, Marcus Rashford helped out at FareShare in Manchester – a charity aimed at relieving food poverty across the UK which the footballer has already raised £20million for.

It came after he said kids were made to feel like they "don't matter," after he lost his bid to get the nation's most vulnerable youngsters free school meals this winter.

MPs rejected a Labour motion to extend free school meals over the school holidays until Easter 2021 by 322 votes to 261, majority 61.

Rashford said: "A significant number of children are going to bed tonight not only hungry but feeling like they do not matter.

"We must stop stigmatising, judging and pointing fingers. Our views are being clouded by political affiliation. This is not politics, this is humanity."

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He called on No10 to "sit around the table" again to come up with a new plan, adding: "I don't have the education of a politician – many on Twitter have made that clear today – but I have a social education having lived through this."

He finished the post by writing: "These children are the future of this country. They are not just another statistic.

"And for as long as they don't have a voice, they will have mine. You have my word on that."

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