A five-year-old girl is receiving her first school uniform from an aid worker.

In many ways the photograph of young Marina about to embark on her new life perfectly shows how a hurricane finally brought together Oxford and its twin town Leon, in Nicaragua.

The terrifying power of Hurricane Mitch will forever be associated with death, raging floods and the destruction of 100,000 homes.

Buildings were ripped up and roads and bridges washed away as Mitch wreaked its trail of horror.

But exactly a year on, there is no doubt that this awesome force of nature strengthened the foundations of Oxford's links with Leon. Twelve years ago the twinning had been mocked by some as evidence of a left wing council's self-indulgence.

Nothing could have so dramatically answered such cynicism than the city's response to a disaster which cost 1,657 lives in the Leon area.

Within hours of the disaster, the Oxford-Leon Link launched an emergency appeal to buy food, medicines and materials to provide shelter.

Later the association paid for and flew out 175,000 water purification tablets and medical kits to tackle chronic hygiene problems, resulting from water contamination.

Annette Honeywell, a trustee of the Oxford Leon Link, said : "We were amazed at the generosity of the people of Oxfordshire. "The response went way beyond anything we could have hoped for."

A total of £41,000 was eventually raised for a whole variety of projects.

Annette said: "The hurricane destroyed many homes and washed away possessions. This particularly hit the poorest sectors.

"Under Nicaguan Law children can only attend school if they are wearing the correct uniform. Many children from poor families were therefore faced with the prospect of losing out on their education by not being able to replace their uniforms."

So the Link paid for 650 uniforms, helping to provide work for Nicaraguan women in the process. It is now buying cows for seven schools to provide children with milk, with the money coming from greetings cards sold in an Oxford doctor's surgery.

The money has been deliberately targeted to fund smaller grassroots projects. As well as providing emergency relief, permanent evidence of Oxford's aid is now in place.

Projects include:

*£4,300 to build three houses in Leon, with £2,062 to roof other homes

*£2,200 to refurbish nursery schools

*£1,450 to create a small refuge for street children. *£6,000 to enable rural women to buy calves and chickens.

Annette said: "I think Oxfordshire people were just moved at the images of ordinary people affected by a natural disaster."

She believed that pictures of the devastation caused by flooding proved particularly poignant in Oxfordshire, which had itself experienced flooding misery, albeit on an altogether smaller scale.

"Money just came in from everywhere - Oxford colleges, churches and schools."

Thames Valley Radio presenter Bill Heine embarked on a 111-mile Oxford to London swim along the Thames, using swimming pools, to raise money, while collections were held in the city centre. Twenty-five pupils from Cheney School, Headington, were presented with special Certificates of Honour by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Val Smith, for raising £1,180 in just one term for their twin school in Leon, badly-hit by the hurricane.

The youngsters, aged 14 and 15, were nominated by Foreign Office Minister Tony Lloyd.

Today, on the first anniversary of the disaster, Oxford can feel pride in its efforts to help Marina's education, and in assisting its "twin"in her hour of need.

*Support for projects in Leon is still badly needed. Anyone wishing to help should contact May Wylie, international officer, Oxford Town Hall, St Aldate's, Oxford, on 01865 252537.

Story date: Saturday 30 October

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.