An aid worker has praised the fund-raising efforts of Leicestershire people after they helped raise nearly £300,000 for the Pakistan flood appeal.

Salim Lorgat, from Islamic Relief Leicester, flew out to the country's capital, Islamabad, yesterday with 10 other volunteers from the charity.

They will spend a week overseeing the progress being made by projects set up in some of the Pakistan's worst-hit regions.

About £280,000 of the £6 million raised by Islamic Relief since the floods hit on July 29 has come from people living in Leicestershire.

More than 2,000 people died and the United Nations estimates 21 million people were either injured or left homeless as a result of this summer's disaster.

Islamic Relief has just finished building its first 'model village' in Launda in the north-west region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A further 59 more flood-resistant villages will be built across the country over the next two years, with each having schools and its own underground pipes providing clean, fresh water to homes.

Speaking from Manchester Airport ahead of his flight, Salim, 43, of Spinney Hills, Leicester, said: "The people of Leicestershire have been amazing.

"The money they have raised would have easily paid for one of these villages, which will house and provide running water for 200 people.

"Volunteers raised around £40,000 alone just helping to pack people's shopping every Saturday and Sunday at Pak Foods, in Evington.

"We also had money coming in from local schools and businesses. I've even had kids giving me their pocket money."

The charity's two-year project will eventually see new villages set up in Nowshera and Charsadda, also in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; the Punjab districts of Muzaffargarh and Nohanwali, and Thatta, in the Sindh region.

Each village will be flood and earthquake-resistant.

Farmers will also be given seeds, tools and livestock to help them recover. Schools will also be built to ensure children have better access to education.

After arriving in Islamabad, the group will travel to Nowshera and Charsadda.

Salim said: "I expect there will be some uncomfortable scenes. But I cannot wait to start helping out. We plan to get very hands-on and see first-hand how everything is going.

"We're also going to take football and cricket equipment over and try to show some of the kids a trick or two."

Health campaigner Zaffar Haq, of Oadby, who flew out to Pakistan in August to deliver aid and medical supplies, said plenty more was still needed to ensure the country can begin to recover.

He said: "What we're all doing is just a drop in the ocean."

Islamic Relief is a member of the Disaster Emergency Committee, which has so far collected £60 million.

The Leicester Mercury also joined forces with charity Unicef for an appeal, which raised nearly £14,000. Visit:

www.islamic-relief.org.uk