THOUSANDS of items have been collected by volunteers in Blackburn to help those in desperate need after Storm Desmond ripped through the UK.

The team who have named themselves ‘One Love’ made up of 12 Blackburn residents, have taken the aid up to Penrith and the surrounding areas yesterday, to give those who have lost so much some comfort.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The team have collected thousands of pairs of socks, trousers, jackets, blankets, coats, long-lasting food and medication and handed it out to centres were the flood victims have been staying.

Volunteer, Sal Saleh, 38, national sales manager at Islamic tv channel ‘Ummah Channel’, helped set up the group and made one of the initial calls for donations.

Mr Saleh, from Corporation Park in Blackburn, said: “The group wanted to help a worthy cause this winter.

“As soon as the terrible weather hit, we wanted to help as much as we could.

“We wanted to do this because we are proud British citizens who want to help out our fellow British people.

“Muslims have had a bad image in the press recently, but we just want to show we are like everyone else.”

The majority of the goods have been stored at Global Car Wash in Fort Street free of charge, while the group acquired two, three-and-a-half ton vans to move goods.

Mr Saleh said: “When we arrived we were met by the most grateful people I’ve ever come across.

“They didn’t expect a group of Asian to travel all the way up there with supplies.”

Irfan Surgeon, a self employed courier, 38, from Lammack, said : “A couple of the guys didn’t want to be named because they’re not out to do it for the fame .”