A COUPLE who have helped raise thousands of pounds for victims of the Sri Lankan tsunami are to hold a tea party for 33 orphans in a village hit by the disaster.

Garage owner Tony Watson and his wife, Myrtle, who launched the Weardale Tsunami Relief Fund in County Durham a year ago, will be flying to Sri Lanka shortly with another £1,800 to help rebuild the village of Ahungalla, where they have a villa.

The Watsons have already taken more than £10,500 to Sri Lanka since the disaster - money raised mainly through coffee mornings, table-top sales and other events at the village hall in Frosterley, Weardale.

Their latest effort, a table-top sale held at the weekend, raised £543.

"Part of the money will be used to hold a tea party at our home for children from the village orphanage," said Mrs Watson.

"Some of it will be spent on more furniture, including tables and chairs. We are also hoping to finish work on a house we are erecting on a plot of land we have bought for a village family.

"The important thing is that the money we are raising here in Weardale is going direct to the people who really need it."

Although most of the money has come from events organised by the Watsons in the dale, there have also been donations from farther afield.

"There were several Christmas cards I received, mainly from the Darlington area, which contained cheques for the appeal," said Mrs Watson.

She was also grateful to "a group of gentleman fundraisers" at Barnard Castle, called The Clique, who sent her £200.

Meanwhile, Mrs Watson said the fundraising goes on, adding: "There is still a lot of work to do, particularly in rebuilding people's lives and homes."

Anyone wanting to help the Weardale Tsunami Relief Fund is asked to contact Mrs Watson on (01388) 528496, or Linda Nelson (01388) 528202.