BIG HEARTED Evening Press readers have raised nearly £3,000 to help the children caught up in the conflict in Iraq.

The Evening Press teamed up with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), last week to launch a special fundraising appeal in a bid to get medical supplies, safe, clean drinking water, food and education materials for the thousands of children suffering in the Gulf.

Today we can reveal your efforts have raised an impressive £2,996.

"The support of Evening Press readers is wonderful", said Louis Coles, regional fundraising manager for UNICEF.

"We have a real emergency on our hands in Iraq and our actions together over the next few weeks will determine the physical and mental well being of an entire generation or Iraqi children.

"The support of the people of York will go a long way in helping UNICEF to deliver vital water and food supplies along with life-saving medicines. I encourage everyone to get involved and to do whatever they can to help the women and children of Iraq."

Thanks to your efforts, UNICEF has enough cash to buy 1,498 boxes of high energy biscuits - that could save the lives of 17,976 children.

Just £50 could help save the lives of 300 children suffering from cholera or dysentery by treating them with oral rehydration salts.

Or UNICEF could provide clean safe drinking water for 31,957 people. Just £75 is enough to buy water purification tablets to give 800 children a litre of clean, safe water to drink.

With your money UNICEF could provide 150 sets of teaching materials for primary school education - to restore a sense of normality to children traumatised by the conflict.

People wishing to make a donation to the Evening Press/UNICEF appeal should phone 0114 251 7092 for information about organising a fundraising event, or complete the special coupon here.

Updated: 10:43 Saturday, April 26, 2003