Caring Telegraph & Argus readers have raised almost £8,000 towards helping to save the lives of more than 100,000 children trapped in the aftermath of the Indian earthquake.

The final total of £7,770 raised by the joint T&A and UNICEF earthquake appeal could have bought 110,000 life-saving rehydration kits.

The amount was praised by UNICEF executive director David Bull who said that T&A readers had managed to raise more than the readers of any other newspaper in Yorkshire.

Mr Bull, said: "The total raised by the appeal was £7,770.50 - a fantastic effort which will make such a difference to the children in Gujurat who have suffered due to the earthquake and the utter devastation it has left in its wake.

"I send my personal thanks to every one of you who has supported the UNICEF and Telegraph & Argus appeal for the India earthquake."

Mr Bull added that he had seen T&A money help youngsters coping with the effects of January's earthquake during a visit to Gujurat earlier this year.

He said: "I helped to unload blankets, tarpaulins and family survival kits so I can assure you that donations are providing people with things that they desperately need, and for this they are very grateful.

"On behalf of those people and all of us at UNICEF, thank you for making a difference."

Mr Bull said that now the initial rescue stage was over UNICEF's attention would shift to focus on helping children return to normal lives.

Among the charity's priorities are rebuilding health and education centres, providing youngsters with trauma counselling, and accelerating the repair of water supply pipes to outlying areas.

Following the success of the T&A's appeal UNICEF has announced it is to hold a North of England supporters' day at Pudsey Civic Hall, Pudsey, on Saturday, April 28.

The event will be hosted by Louis Coles, UNICEF's north east regional officer.

He said: "We are delighted to be coming to Pudsey. After the response we got from the T&A readers we know that there are a lot of caring people in the area."