CHURCHGOERS across the North-East and North Yorkshire were united in grief yesterday as ceremonies across the region remembered the victims of the tsunami disaster.

In only a week, congregations have raised thousands of pounds for communities devastated by Boxing Day's Indian Ocean disaster.

At Ripon Cathedral, in North Yorkshire, £5,000 has been donated - £2,600 by a packed congregation on New Year's Eve.

The cathedral has close links with churches in Sri Lanka and an area has been set aside where visitors can pray.

Canon Michael Glanville-Smith said he was enormously grateful for people's generosity.

The cathedral has donated its entire income since the disaster to the appeal and is planning more ways to fundraise.

Yesterday, more than 250 worshippers filled St Mary's RC Cathedral in Clayton Street West, Newcastle, for a requiem mass.

Father Michael Campion, dean of the cathedral, who led the service, said: "Here in Newcastle, we stand in solidarity this weekend, with all those who are suffering from the Indian Ocean earthquake disaster.

"Why does a loving God allow bad things to happen to good people? This is the question of questions all Christian believers are having to struggle with once more as we look on with horror what happened in Indonesia in the past week."

He urged the congregation to dig deep to help fund the work of Catholic charity Cafod, which is working in India, Sri Lanka and Banda Aceh.

"Earthquakes and tidal waves wreaking disaster and terror are nothing new to humanity.

"They have been known to earliest civilisations and are even documented in the Bible.

"But the sheer terror and awfulness of what has happened in the Indian Ocean is new to us," he said.

Durham Cathedral had an extra collection for the appeal at all of its services yesterday and has kept a candle burning for the people who have suffered.

York Minster is also to donate a proportion of the money collected this week.

How to help

Give now to the Disasters Emergency Committee

0870 6060 900

or online at www.dec.org.uk

or by cheque to

PO Box 999, London EC3A 3AA, payable to DEC Tsunami Earthquake Appeal