HAIRDRESSERS at a North-East salon gave up their free time at the weekend to raise money for the tsunami appeal.

Workers at the Sizou hair studio, in North Road, Darlington, opened yesterday offering customers manicures and hair braiding. Face-painting was also on offer for children.

Staff at the salon have already raised £500 by donating money from proceeds last Thursday, and they hope to raise more funds from yesterday's event.

Salon owner Jackie Oliver said: "We just wanted to help out. We opened especially to raise money and it will all go to the tsunami appeal."

N-E In Action

Cookery book to aid victims: A COOKERY book has been launched to encourage men to cook a dinner or lunch to raise funds. Cookery For Men, which was launched by the Rotary Foundation, was written before the disaster, but money raised will go to help the victims. Tony Blair, who has been an honorary member of Spennymoor Rotary Club since 1989, has written the foreword to the book and contributed one of his favourite recipes. It is hoped the book will be available in most bookshops.

Consett: Children at Consett Junior School raised £325 with a non-uniform day. Pupils were asked to pay £1, but many paid more, some up to £5. Year six teacher David Jackson said: "For many of the children, this is the first major thing that has happened in their lives, and they were keen to get involved. They are very much aware of people who are less fortunate than themselves and wanted to show they are doing what they can to help."

WOLSINGHAM: Money was raised for victims at a Back to School disco. DJ Joe Bell packed the workingmen's club on Saturday night for the disco. Organiser Anita Savory said: "It was a wonderful night. Everyone entered into the spirit of it all."

WHELDRAKE: The Women's Institute will hold an event, including stalls, tombola, raffle and refreshments, at White Rose House, Whel-drake, York, from 10am on Saturday.

MEDOMSLEY: The Methodist Church will hold a coffee morning in the church hall on Saturday. It will be held from 10am to noon, with cakes stalls, books for sale and bric-a-brac.

DELVES LANE: The Community Association has raised £162 for victims, and has thanked everyone who helped.

CROOK: The town Methodist Church raised £731 for the appeal with a coffee morning.

Didgeridoo helps funds total

THE rare sound of a didgeridoo helped a local community raise more than £700.

At a concert, dubbed WaveAid, in Moorsholm Memorial Hall, east Cleveland, villagers put on entertainment to raise £731.

Artists included Alex Collins, three, who recited Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, and Lewis Hughes who played a didgeridoo.

Producer Graeme Aldous said: "It was a remarkable evening, made all the more so by the speed at which it was organised. We had the idea on the Tuesday, got fliers printed and put them round the village on Wednesday, inviting performers to sign up.

"I had no idea whether or not anyone would volunteer, but I was quietly confident that Moorsholm people would answer the challenge.

Couple delighted with dale's response to Sri Lankan aid day

A COUPLE who have set out to deliver a lifeline to a Sri Lankan community have raised more than £4,000 with help from their friends.

Garage owner Tony Watson and his wife, Myrtle, launched their appeal to help rebuild the village of Ahungalla, where they have had a villa for seven years, with a fundraising day in the village hall at Frosterley, in Weardale, County Durham, at the weekend.

Hundreds of people turned up to buy raffle tickets, cakes and bric-a-brac and give donations to the Weardale Tsunami Relief Fund.

Through a bank account set up in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo with a Swiss neighbour, businessman Charly Berger, the Watsons have ensured the money will go to friends in Ahungalla, enabling them to rebuild their lives.

While money was starting to pour into the fund in Weardale, Mr Berger was busy in Ahungalla handing out eight tons of clothing, medical supplies and tents bought through the bank account.

Mrs Watson said: "We are hoping to join him at the beginning of next month to see what we can do practically on the ground to help.

"We are deeply grateful for the help we have received here so far."

Among the donations was a cheque for £500 from Rotarians in the dale, £60 collected by the Stanhope Choral group during carol-singing on the Weardale Railway and money from local schools.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund is asked to call Mrs Watson on (01388) 528496.

Police auction looks promising

A POLICE constable and his partner have organised an auction of promises to raise funds.

Easingwold PC Scott Wilkin and partner Cathy Rosevear have already secured £3,000 worth of promises, with more to come.

The auction will take place at The Hall pub, in Thornton-le-Dale, near Pickering, North Yorkshire, on Sunday, January 30, from 2.30pm.

PC Wilkin said: "We put our heads together and realised that we had all the contacts to bring in a lot of really good promises, so we have a wide range, from nights in expensive hotels and a luxury weekend in Cornwall, to restaurant meals, Audi merchandising, a Barbour jacket and a day's fly-fishing on a private lake."

To donate items, call PC Wilkin on 0777 555 0952.