Friends of Maldives (left to right): Sarah Mahir, Kimberly Hardingham, Michelle Lawson, Ahmed Thiham and David Hardingham. 6/1/5A HUGE aid operation to help the stricken islands of the Maldives has been launched by a Salisbury organisation.

Friends of Maldives, based on Milford Street, is collecting clothes, food, first aid and other supplies which are desperately needed after the country was swamped by the Boxing Day tsunami.

"Many of the islands have experienced total devastation," said David Hardingham from the group.

"At their highest point they are only four feet above sea level so they were completely covered by the waves.

"This has caused terrible structural damage, people have lost their homes and are sleeping in boats or wherever they can.

"Many had to climb trees to escape the water and wait to be rescued."

Lack of clean drinking water is one of the biggest problems and thousands of bottles and purification tablets are being flown out.

"The wall of water meant that all the water left is either salty or contaminated with sewage," added Mr Hardingham. "The situation is desperate and we need to act now."

Although the initial death toll in the Maldives was 70, with another 70 people missing, there are fears this could rise when contact is finally made with more remote islands. Sacks filled with clothes, food and other equipment are already on their way from Salisbury and more aid is flooding in.

"We have been very pleased with the response - the phones have hardly stopped ringing with people wanting to help," said Mr Hardingham.

"Every item people donate will be taken straight there and go to the people who really need it."

The people of the Maldives desperately need clothes, first aid kits, baby food, blankets, cooking utensils, disinfectant, rubber gloves, candles, rubbish bags, buckets and dried and tinned food. Take your donation to the Friends' office at 64 Milford Street, Salisbury or Dinghams Cookshop in the Market Square, or call (01722) 504330 or 501917.