A DURHAM church is backing a project that helps Cambodian children who try to eke a living from a rubbish dump.

Elvet Methodist Church, in Old Elvet, hopes to raise £20,000 for the Coventry-based international charity Global Care, which has launched a £100,000 appeal to fund its recently-established New Hope Centre in the capital, Phnom Penh.

The centre offers education, food and healthcare to children living and working on the city's Stung Meanchey municipal rubbish dump.

About 1,000 children as young as six work for more than ten hours a day on the dump, seven days a week, in appalling conditions, scavenging through 100 acres of rotting garbage, looking for glass, tin cans and plastics, which they can sell.

John Farish, co-ordinator of the church's appeal steering group, said the fundraising drive would last until July.

"We alternate," he said. "One year we support a charity that works in this country, the other we support one that works abroad.

"Normally, we manage £13,000 or £13,500, so we are looking to raise a bit extra, but we made a good start at the launch event."

Fundraising events being planned include a progressive supper and pantomime, to raise the money.