A FUND has been set up to help the victims of the Bangladesh cyclones.

Burnley and Pendle's Bangladesh Welfare Association has established a local relief fund after hundreds lost their lives to Cyclone Sidr.

Hundreds of thousands of people were also forced to leave their homes, as winds as strong as 240kmph hit the country on November 15, ripping through coastal towns, flattening villages and uprooting trees.

Sher Ali Miah, chair of the association, said the local fund was aimed at helping people who had lost their homes and livelihoods.

The fund was originally set up 10 years ago after another cyclone.

Mr Miah said: "I have family out there and thankfully it has not affected them but about 30 per cent of the country has been decimated by this.

"Although not as many people have died this time because the government managed to move people from the affected areas.

"People can donate as much or as little as they want."

"We are open minded as to how much money we can raise.

"There are other people who have set up things but we thought we would do something at a more local level."

  • All donations should be sent to Barclays Bank, Burnley Business Centre, PO Box 20, 72-78, St James Street, Burnley, BB11 1NH, or to the Bangladesh Welfare Association, 66 Belford Street, Burnley, BB12 0DF.

Cheques should be made payable to Bangladesh Cyclone Disaster Relief Fund.