POPPY Appeal organisers in Durham are delighted that this year's collection total is up £2,500 on last year.

In the city centre alone, £10,500 was raised for the work of the Royal British Legion (RBL), which helps ex-service personnel and their families.

Organisers are particularly pleased that £3,000 of the total was raised by students at Durham University.

Last year, the total raised by the Durham district, which includes areas on the city's outskirts and surrounding villages, was £21,000.

The total was 22 per cent up on the previous one and was the second largest increase in Britain, beaten only by County Down, in Northern Ireland.

This year's final total for the district has yet to be added up.

Ian Mackie, local organiser and coordinator for County Durham, said he was delighted with the result for the city centre.

"We raised £10,500 in the city centre compared with £8,000 last year and we are very pleased about that. We are proud to say that the university, through its charity committee, raised £3,000 towards the appeal. We are really grateful for it. It is nice to know that young people in our community are supporting our appeal.

"I'd like to thank everyone in the city centre who supported the appeal, or helped with it."

Last year, branches across County Durham raised £172,000 for the appeal, up from £140,000 the previous year.

Mr Mackie said: "We have been aiming for £200,000 but if we get what we got last year we will be delighted."

Mr Mackie said TV programmes about the two world wars, screened during the millennium year, helped to raise awareness, particularly among young people, of the sacrifice of former servicemen and women.

The RBL provides help to former service personnel, ranging from financial assistance, advice on benefits, holidays for severely disabled people, and convalescent homes