THE Banbury community raised almost £13,000 in one night to help people hit by the Pakistan floods.

A charity dinner attracted 400 people from across the community, and most of the cash raised will be used to pay for two specialist pumps to provide clean water.

Representatives of charity Islamic Relief, which is working with the Disasters Emergency Committee, told diners at Woodgreen Leisure Centre of the urgent need for water pumps.

One of the organisers Alyas Ahmed, a town, district and county councillor, said he was ecstatic at the total of £12,635.

He said: “One pump costs £5,000 and people were putting their hands in the air to donate £50, £100, £500.

“It was a diverse event with people who were from Pakistan, England; Chinese and Caribbean people.

“They were all concerned about people in Pakistan who are dying, the children, families, elderly people, cattle and the country itself.

“I would like to thank everyone who came on behalf of myself and the Ash-Shifa Trust.”

Food was provided by local takeaways and restaurants, including Purple Mango, Sheesh Mahal and Voujon, all Banbury, and supermarkets in the town.

The majority of Banbury’s 5,000-strong Asian community were from the Kashmir area of Pakistan, but families were originally from across Pakistan.

So far, about £18,000 has been raised for the flood appeal across Banbury.

A fundraising family fun day, is held today at the Sunrise Multicultural Project, Fairway Methodist Church, The Fairway, Banbury, from noon to 4pm.

There will be a host of entertainment including a bouncy castle, face painting, henna tattoos, nail art, raffle, cake stall, Asian food stall, Indian head massage, fair rides, water balloons, Bric-a-brac.