GENEROUS people across the North-East and Yorkshire touched by terrible scenes of the tsunami disaster have given nearly £7.5m to what has fast become the biggest disaster appeal Britain has witnessed.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) has collected £3m from people in the Tyne Tees Television region and £4.3m from people in the Yorkshire Television region.

Donations to the DEC appeal across the country have reached £76m - and yesterday charities were expecting the total to top £100m within days.

Yesterday, Kim Tan, campaign officer for Oxfam in the North-East and North and East Yorkshire, said: "The response from people across this region has been absolutely phenomenal.

"No one I have spoken to within Oxfam, or any other charity, has ever seen such a response to an emergency appeal."

The DEC is the umbrella appeal for 12 of the biggest aid charities and the donations have come in via phone, over the web, and through people handing over cash and cheques in charity shops, post offices and banks throughout the country.

The biggest regional donor so far has been the Carlton TV region - London - which has given £16m.

The smallest donation in England so far has been from the England/Scotland Borders TV region, where people have given £1m, although the area has a small population.

People in the South have given £7.9m; the North-West, £6.6m; East Anglia, £5.3m; the Midlands, £9.9m; West Country, £2.4m; Wales and the West £5.8m and Ulster, Northern Ireland £0.9m.

There are about two-and-a half million people in the Tyne Tees Television region, where people have given £3m - so there is still room for more donations.

Lindsey Pearson, area co-ordinator for Christian Aid, North and West Yorkshire, said: "What has been raised is an amazing amount. People have just responded and given so generously to what they have seen.

"But we need this because what has happened has been disastrous.

"We have a very willing and hard-working team, who will do all they can, but we do need the support of the public."

The DEC is comprised of Tearfund, Oxfam, World Vision, Save the Children, Merlin, Help the Aged, Concern, Christian Aid, Care, Cafod, British Red Cross and ActionAid.

Brendan Gormley, DEC chief executive, said: "We are so grateful to everyone who has donated and worked to raise money for the DEC in cities, towns and villages across the UK.

"Our member agencies now have teams on the ground in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, the Andaman Islands, the Maldives and Somalia, working to deliver urgent food and medical supplies and to alleviate the immediate effects of the disaster

"But it will take years for those affected to recover and so donations will now help people who have lost everything to rebuild their homes and livelihoods."