THE Banbury community raised almost £13,000 in one night to help people left destitute after the Pakistan floods.

A charity dinner was supported by up to 400 people from across the community reflecting the town’s diverse population.

Most of the cash will be used to pay for two specialist pumps which will provide clean water to flood victims.

The move comes days after community groups in the town launched an appeal to raise cash for people in Pakistan after the country’s worst flooding for almost 100 years.

So far about 1,600 people have died and up to 20 million others affected by the severe monsoon rains.

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 on the ground in Pakistan.

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

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, there were 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 personally like to thank everyone who came on behalf of myself and the Ash-Shifa Trust.

“People have already donated through mosques and television, but the community still donated more.”

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

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

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

Another fundraising event, a family fun day, is planned for Saturday, at the Sunrise Multicultural Project, based at Fairway Methodist Church, The Fairway, Banbury, between noon and 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 and bric-a-brac.

To donate to the flood appeal view dec.org.uk or phone Alyas Ahmed on 07779 797809.