OKEHAMPTON-based charity Rapid UK has received £5,000 in donations since returning from a rescue mission in Iran.
Rapid sent a team of 20 to Iran following an earthquake on Boxing Day which killed in the region of 28,000 people and flattened 80% of the historic city of Bam.
The team were the first international rescue group to arrive in the city, but after days of searching through the rubble, using specialist equipment and rescue dogs, they were unable to find any survivors.
The Iranian rescue mission raised the profile of the charity which has been all over the world responding to disasters and the landlord and customers of the Bay View Hotel in Widemouth Bay were among those who put their hands in their pockets to help Rapid.
A cheque for £2,000 was presented to Rapid director Graham Payne (front row, centre) from the hotel manager Lee Sycamore and landlord Dave Kitchener, and local man Gary Parkinson donated £500 raised on the oil rig where he works.
The money will go towards funding equipment for Rapid?s boat crew, who are based in Bude. A total of £5,000 has been donated to the charity since Christmas. A spokeswoman for Rapid said the response by local people had been terrific.
Picture by Paul Hamlyn