The congregation at Ledbury Methodist Church, in the Homend, have dug deep to help the victims of the tsunami.

A collection plate at the end of Sunday services during the first two weeks of the new year, raised more than £1,000 for the disaster appeal.

Former churchwarden and regular congregation member Tom Deane said: "The plate went out and this is what appeared."

Last Saturday, there was a coffee morning at the church, which boosted the total was boosted by around £130 in just two hours.

The final tally has still to be announced.

Meanwhile, members of Bosbury Church also gave the proceeds of a coffee morning last Saturday to the tsunami appeal.

A total of £73 was raised with a further £70 of Fairtrade goods sold.

Margery Tritton, former president of the Ledbury Branch of the British Red Cross, has raised £900 for the tsunami appeal, through donations sent to her home at Swinmore House, Munsley. She would like to thanks people for their generous response.

The British Red Cross says it has been overwhelmed by the generosity of local people to the tsunami appeal. Fundraising efforts singled out for special praise included a collection outside Tesco in Ledbury on January 8-9, which raised £2,525. A collection in Wellington Heath, organised by the Squires Family, raised £820. An auction at the Farmer's Arms, Wellington Heath, organised by Kim and Jim Cockrill and helpers, was also praised for raising over £7,100. That figure could rise to over £9,000, thanks to Inland Revenue tax breaks on donations.

A bingo group at Ashperton Village Hall has raised £100 for the tsunami appeal. The group has been going for 10 years and has raised £1,500 for various charities. Around 100 people attend the sessions. The next takes place in March.