Michael Eavis and Bishop Price give fuel money away

Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis said he hoped others would follow suit

Two of Somerset's most well known pensioners are giving away their winter fuel payments to those less well off to help them survive the winter.

The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Peter Price, 66, and Glastonbury Festival's Michael Eavis, 75, said they do not need the payments.

People aged over 60 can claim between £125 and £400 from the government.

The money raised will be used to help those in need buy additional fuel and to insulate their homes.

Bishop Price said: "At the moment my wife and I have a good income so we don't need that additional support.

"We felt it would be one way we could indicate our support [and not] take resources away for ourselves which have effectively been a boost for our income."

The initiative has been organised by the Somerset Community Foundation who said the scheme was emulating the coalition's Big Society.

The foundation's director Justin Sargent said 149,600 people in Somerset were eligible to claim the payment and that an estimated 33,000 pensioners live in fuel poverty in the county.