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A London woman who left gifts at the doors of her European neighbours after Britain voted to leave the EU was moved to tears when they repaid her kindness with heartfelt presents of their own.

Shona Pugh, 34, who lives in Crystal Palace, said she was motivated to show support for her five European neighbours after the results were declared on Friday.

Ms Pugh said she has a good relationship with her neighbours, adding that two of them are from Ireland, while one is Romanian, another is Bulgarian and the fifth also hails from the continent.

She said that one of her first thoughts upon hearing the results, was concern for how they were feeling.

Ms Pugh told the Standard: "I have quite a good relationship with my neighbours, I've been here for three years and I've been for a drink with a couple of them, and we say hello in the hall.

"I voted to remain, partly thinking of my lovely neighbours from the EU, and I felt dreadful on Friday.

"We've all been shell shocked about it and I really wanted to reassure them I have no issue with them.

"We're uncertain being resident here, but what about people that now don't even know if they can stay in the country they call home?"

In order to show her support, she bought flowers and chocolates, before leaving them at her neighbours' doors, along with cards carrying reassuring messages.

Ms Pugh, who is originally from Edinburgh, said she was then moved to tears when her neighbours returned her kind gesture by turning up at her door bearing gifts of their own.

Their presents included traditional food from their home countries - sweets, chocolates, wine and a Bulgarian cheese pie.

Ms Pugh said: "They came down and knocked on my door, the Irish couple are back home on holiday, but I opened my door and all three of them were stood there with something in their hands, and I had a little cry.

"One of them had made a traditional dish and they had chocolates and sweets and wine from their countries, and the little sign with cats on, because they know I have cats."

Ms Pugh has urged others to reach out to their continental neighbours, who may be feeling worried following the referendum result.

She said: "It's one of the things we can do when something dreadful happens to someone who feels marginalised.

"Especially when Nigel Farage came out with that poster in the final week I thought 'this is not good'.

"The referendum definitely gave a voice to those who are horribly xenophobic and racist."