A VILLAGE effort to help tsunami survivors rebuild their lives has received its biggest single donation.

Pupils at Staindrop Comprehensive School raised £421 at a Footloose event, which allows them to wear trainers for a day.

Staindrop Aid to Tsunami Survivors was set up by Fred Blackwell, who has pledged to offer aid for the next ten years.

Mr Blackwell told youngsters: "Your money is going to Thailand and will be used towards building a fishing boat, which costs about £850, to replace the demolished fleet.

"This money is not going through some bureaucracy, it's going to a village where they are handling their own affairs.

"It's not just a new boat, it is the feeling these people get that they are not forgotten."

Mr Blackwell and his team are planning a programme of events, including pub quizzes, and may hold a village fun day next year.

He said: "We are in this for the long term, after the cameras have gone. People will need our help for the next decade."

The group's next meeting is on Wednesday, at 7.30pm, in the Wheatsheaf Inn. For details, call Mr Blackwell on (01833) 660272.