Mum can’t afford to buy her son toys because of cost of living crisis

'I cannot afford these things any more'.

A devastated mum says she can’t afford to buy her son toys, because living costs have reached ‘ridiculous’ heights.

It comes as thousands of protesters assembled at demonstrations across the UK on Saturday to demand action on the crisis.

More than 100 people gathered in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester to highlight the rising costs of fuel, energy, food and other essentials.

Chantelle I’Anson-Hughes, who attended with her four-year-old son Noah, said she forages and grows her own food to save money.

She explained: ‘He (Noah) has been asking for toys and I cannot afford it.

‘It is now everything, it’s ridiculous. We are all feeling it. I cannot afford these things any more.

‘It’s getting worse and worse. Uniform is not cheap. Jumpers costing a fortune. We are having to make sure that it lasts.

‘Everything is getting really, really expensive. The sun coming out will give us a break.

‘We do forage instead of buying fruit. We grow potatoes, tomatoes, spring onions, apples, and pears.’

Sonya Griffin, a pregnant mother of two teenagers, from Blackburn, Lancashire, added: ‘The cost of living is exceeding my income. Everything is going up.

‘They cannot kick people out on the street. I am worried about the next generation and the world is in chaos. I’m spending £300 on uniforms for the kids.’

Sonya said she had to rescue second-hand clothes to give her secondary school-age children an outfit for lessons.

Similar protests took place in other major cities across the UK yesterday.

Outside Downing Street, around 100 protesters made speeches and waved signs as they called for change.

Isabella Fula, 17, told the Independent: ’A lot of people that I know are suffering from it personally, and a lot of people that once lived in my area have now moved out due to raising rent and energy bills.’

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was among those in attendance at the London demonstration.

His successor, Sir Keir Starmer, has lambasted the Government for what he claims are ‘pathetic’ attempts to ease the burden on people struggling with rising bills.

This morning, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps insisted Rishi Sunak has ‘already provided billions and billions of pounds to try to relieve the pressure’.

He told Sky News: ‘We’re trying to do what we can – you’re asking if we’ll do more – I want to absolutely be clear, given the Chancellor’s record, I’m sure he’ll always be looking what else he can do.

‘He’s already provided billions and billions of pounds to try to relieve the pressure.’

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