Christmas dinner has been saved and there will be enough turkeys this year for everyone, the British Poultry Council (BPC) has said today (Mon).

The BPC says the festive birds will be available as thousands of foreign workers have been recruited to work on farms.

A deadline has closed to recruit temporary workers from the European Union to help process turkeys.

The BPC believes about half of the visas offered have been taken up - which will be sufficient to cover the Christmas rush.

Head of the BPC, Richard Griffiths, said: "It'll get us over the line.

"We've been able to streamline products and reduce the variety, so that helps with the overall volume.

''There will be a focus on whole birds and very simple crowns and roasts.''

The BPC reckons 2,500 to 3,000 foreign workers will arrive - but the Home Office and Defra would not comment.

For Paul Kelly, the owner of KellyBronze, a turkey producer in Danbury, told the BBC: '"Christmas has been saved. I just wish they'd done it earlier.''