A Bradford restaurateur is planning to raise more than £10,000 for the Telegraph & Argus's Indian earthquake appeal by holding a charity dinner.

Omar Khan, owner of Bradford's Shah Jehan restaurant, is hoping that curry fans will turn out in force for his fundraising dinner at the Midland Hotel, in Cheapside, on Friday, February 16.

Mr Khan said that he had decided to hold the event after seeing the suffering of the earthquake victims on the television.

He said: "This is just something we have to do. So many people have died and many more are suffering but I'm sure that the people of Bradford will turn out to support this event. I'm hoping to raise between £10,000 and £15,000."

Mr Khan said that 18 of the 35 tables planned for the evening had already sold out and that tickets, costing £20, were in huge demand.

Places at the meal can be booked by calling the Shah Jehan on (01274) 390777 or the Midland Hotel on (01274) 735735.

And Bradford's MPs have vowed to back efforts to help the victims of the Gujarat earthquake in any way they can.

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of the city's Hindu, Moslem, Sikh and Christian communities MPs Marsha Singh (Bradford West) and Terry Rooney (Bradford North) agreed to join Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) as patrons of the Sewa International charity's India Earthquake Appeal, which is carrying out a massive relief programme in Gujarat.

Mr Singh said it was important to maximise the help pledged locally through co-ordinated relief efforts such as Sewa International's and promised to stage a second meeting on Saturday, February 17.

Hasmukh Shah, coordinator of the Sewa International appeal, said more than £100,000 had already been raised from people in the Bradford and Leeds area with some 20,000 relief workers, including around 600 doctors, working on the ground in Gujarat.

Mr Shah said cash donations, rather than food or clothes, were the priority - with Sewa launching an 'adoption' programme with the emphasis on providing for people's medium and long-term futures.