Fewer items are being donated to Oxfam charity shops as recession-hit families cut their spending, the charity revealed today.

So far this year donations are down 12 per cent, which could mean a total of 1.2 million fewer donations by the end of the year.

According to Oxfam, the fall is a result of people buying fewer new items which means they have less need to throw out their old goods.

David McCullough, Oxfam’s director of trading, said: “The £20m profit made by our shops last year would be enough to fund all of Oxfam’s work in Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Somolia for a year.

“But we can’t sell fresh air and they rely on the generosity of the public for their stock.”