The woman behind a Herne Bay shop where everything is free is giving away 200 tickets for a popular fireworks display.

Maya Amangeldiyeva, 35, who runs Maya’s Free Shop with volunteers, was gifted the tickets to the Quex Park Firework extravaganza in Birchington by businessman David Caine.

Now Maya wants to make sure they go to the “people who need it most”, with already more than 600 people nominated, all who have “incredibly moving stories”.

The fireworks display takes place this Saturday and the tickets normally cost £15 each, meaning the tickets are worth a total of £3,000.

Ms Amangeldiyeva, who was nominated for a Pride of Britain award earlier this year, said: “I wanted people to decide who deserves to receive the tickets.

“These could be people who are struggling financially, mentally or physically.

“We have had 600 people nominated and choosing who to give the tickets to has been an incredibly tough decision.”

Ms Amangeldiyeva will be making the final decisions on the tickets throughout today and tomorrow.

She said: “I have already told some people they have won the tickets.

“People have been crying over the phone to me.

“When you are struggling financially it's not only food. It can really impact your mental health as well.

“Luckily, we have these tickets and I hope this can give people some positivity and cheer them up.”

The free shop, on Herne Bay High Street was launched last December, offering clothes, handbags, pillows and even paintings.

A the time, the mum-of-three said that anyone can use the shop, the only stipulation being items are not sold on.

Since 2015, she has been running a community café close by that provides meals to the homeless and people on low incomes.