A Diwali party on the brink of cancellation was saved by an eleventh hour donation from a Jewish charity.

Organisers feared the Barnet Elderly Asian Foundation's annual celebration would be cancelled after it received no sponsorship.

But just weeks before the scheduled event, chairman Dipak Jashapara read about the Fred Wolffing Estate Charity, which provides one-off grants to registered charities that work with the disadvantaged.

Mr Wolffing, a refugee from Nazi Germany, passed away two years ago and left his estate to a board of trustees.

Mr Jashapara said: "When we couldn't get any sponsorship this year, it was like darkness for us. We had no hope. We were very upset at the idea of cancelling the party. Our members really look forward to it.

"When we found out we got the grant, we were over the moon. It was very emotional for us."

Stephen Goldberg, a trustee of the estate and partner at law firm, Osmond, Gaunt and Rose, said: "We received a request from the Barnet Elderly Asian Foundation for a donation to enable them to make a Diwali party which they couldn't make without a donation.

"It is a small charity with very limited resources doing very good work and we were very pleased to be able to help them."

The party, held last week at a community hall in Finchley, was attended by more than 150 guests, including Mr Goldberg and Barnet mayor, Councillor Anthony Finn.