The Abingdon-based Tearfund Christian relief and development agency has thanked the public for its donations to the charity's work three years on from the Boxing Day tsunami.

The regional manager for Tearfund's Central South and Chiltern region, Wim Mauritz, said: "The British public were outstandingly generous and across our region nearly £787,000 was donated to Tearfund's work alone.

"Getting people back to work has been a vital step on the road to recovery. Tearfund's partners have helped 150 fishing communities get back at sea, thanks to new boats and nets and 865 small businesses have been re-established.

"We've been determined to help people 'build back better' - introducing organic agriculture and including disaster preparedness in the school curriculum. But the emotional scars will linger long after the homes are built."

More than 300,000 people were killed when an earthquake beneath the ocean sent giant waves crashing ashore, devastating coastal areas in more than 10 countries.