A young mum who volunteers at a food bank was in a "desperate state" struggling to pay bills and "couldn't see a way out" when she stole from her work colleagues.

Chloe Kerr admitted to one of the managers at the care home where she worked that she stole small amounts of cash after staff were told that the person responsible had been caught on CCTV footage.

The 21-year-old from Newtown was given a 12-month community order after pleading guilty to theft by finding at Welshpool Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

"We are on benefits and money is very, very tight. We are struggling," Kerr said in a statement, read out in court by the prosecution. "Sometimes we can’t afford to eat. I was desperate but I wasn’t really thinking."

The court heard five members of staff had noticed small amounts of money went missing on January 25, February 8 and February 12.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said a senior care manager informed staff that a person had been caught on CCTV. Kerr, who had a clean character, admitted taking £5 that evening.

A pre-sentence report revealed that Kerr, who was her family's sole earner, was struggling financially at the time after her washing machine had completely broken down.

Julian Davies, probation officer, said: "She took took an advancement on Universal Credit but it didn’t cover the whole cost of the replacement. Her partner was on sick and not getting benefit payments at the time. She wasn’t in a good place mentally and couldn’t see a way out.

"She said she is ashamed of what she did and deeply regrets what she did."

The court heard that Kerr recently started a job at a warehouse and that her new employers are "very supportive of her", and currently volunteers at the Salvation Army food bank in Newtown.

Owain Jones, acting on behalf of Kerr said the mother-of-one was sorry.

"Some degree of trust has been breached. She was in a desperate state, and she regrets her actions she is remorseful. She co-operated with the care home and police."

Magistrates ordered Kerr, of Heol Gruffydd, Newtown, to complete 60 hours of unpaid work as part of her 12-month community order, and pay a £95 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

She must also pay £180 to Nicola Ewers, £20 to Caroline Isaacs, £20 to Joanne Saward, £7 to Sonia Barrett and £14 to Abbie Lloyd.