DETAILS have been unveiled of the York flood relief fund which has been set up to help victims of the floods.

The workings of the fund have been drawn up in consultation with City of York Council, the Dean of York and York Council for Voluntary Service.

The fund has been established as a charitable trust with the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Shan Braund, the Dean of York, the Very Reverend Raymond Furnell, and Colin Stroud, the general secretary of York Council for Voluntary Service, as trustees.

It has been set up to help the needs of people whose homes were hit by flood damage.

Coun Braund said: "Although we haven't appealed for money, we have received numerous offers of financial help from people around the country as well as in the city itself.

"We want to ensure that this money reaches those people with real needs and the fund is the ideal way to do that.

"The trustees will help people in York where there is genuine need and they face the distress of financial difficulties.

"We are also in contact with the local authorities in Selby and Ryedale to discuss the arrangements they are making for those residents in their areas affected by floods."

Colin Stroud, general secretary of York CVS, said: "The trustees will be able to ensure that these generous donations reach the people of York that really need our help."

Some of the first donations came from the York Common Good Trust, City of York Council and Nestl Rowntree, which each donated £10,000.

Peter Anderson, community relations manager at Nestl, said: "As a local business, we are acutely aware of the significant problems that some local people have faced during the floods.

"We hope that other local businesses will be able to follow our lead in helping local people with the financial pressures they face when they return to their homes and try to repair the damage."

Anyone who wants to apply for assistance from the fund should call City of York Council's flood helpline on 01904 552999.

Donation cheques should be made payable to the York Flood Relief Fund and sent to, or paid in at, HSBC Bank, 13 Parliament Street, York, YO1 8XS, quoting account number 12656930.