MORE than £70,000 has been raised by the York Aid appeal for victims of the Asian tsunami.

Almost £60,000 has already been paid to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) to help relief and reconstruction efforts in the devastated areas. The record-breaking appeal will close on Saturday after raising more than £250 million.

The DEC, an umbrella group for a dozen British charities, predicts the final total will exceed £300 million. British charities have separately raised a further £60 to £70 million.

The Evening Press and City of York Council York Aid appeal was launched on January 4 to give a focus for the city's fundraising efforts. A council spokeswoman, said: "We were planning to keep the York Aid appeal open until the end of March to see if donations would top the £75,000 mark. If the national DEC closes, we will close the York Aid Appeal early and pay the remaining money to the DEC."

Meanwhile, pupils at Brayton College have been raising money for worldwide poverty relief. A charity day raised more than £2,500 the Make Poverty History campaign launched by several charities.

Staff and students "dressed down" for the day, bought raffle tickets, danced at a disco and joined in a three-legged race.

Many bought a lunch of plain boiled rice for 30p, and donated the rest of their lunch money to the cause.

Head teacher John Kesterton said: "Students at the college have been so generous with their time and their money, and we are really proud of them.

"The atmosphere was brilliant and students' enthusiasm superb all day. This has been about the immediate needs in Asia, but I believe students have shown they understand something of the global issue of poverty as well."

Former York student Tim Wilson is hoping to muster support from local schools for a convent in Matara, southern Sri Lanka, where he volunteered aid shortly after the tsunami.

Leaders of St Mary's Convent want to buy land and rebuild the school away from the shore after being hard hit by the Asian disaster. But first they need to raise funds for the plot, construction and school equipment.

Tim, a 24-year-old former All Saints' School pupil, is giving talks to York schools about his experience to highlight ways they can help.

He is also keen to forge community links by setting up a pen-pal scheme, while his mother, Janet, has collected about 200 children's books for Matara.

Tim said: "I am hoping schools will sponsor the kids who have lost families or maybe hold an own-clothes day to raise funds for projects out there."

To help, or to organise a talk from Tim, phone him on 07866 650498.

Updated: 10:18 Tuesday, February 22, 2005