ACROSS South Lakeland people have been rallying together to help victims of the Pakistan earthquake, reports Lisa Frascarelli.

Charities, churches, rescue groups and generous members of the public have been pulling out the stops to send their support to rescue efforts in the East, after Saturday's disaster.

At Oxfam, in Kendal, manager Laura Ruxpon said cash donations had been coming in thick and fast on Monday.

"We've only just done the emergency posters and within less than one hour we had £100," she said.

"The response has been really good. We're asking for donations of money or things for us to sell in the shop the profits will go to the Pakistan appeal. But we need more, we're encouraging everyone to come in and make donations."

She added Oxfam's rescue efforts would be focused on sending out huge tankers to ensure survivors had fresh clean water.

Oxfam in Ulverston and Save The Children in Windermere are also appealing for cash donations.

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on Saturday morning has left more than 20,000 people confirmed dead with officials estimating that figure will rise to 40,000 by the end of the week.

On the rescue front, a four-strong team from Cumbria-based search dog taskforce CANIS is out in Islamabad. Ingleton man Peter Haigh and his son Ben are part of the group searching for survivors of the devastation with their two rescue dogs.

Churches across South Lakeland and Furness are also saying special prayers and taking donations.

Canon Ron Metcalfe, of Kendal Parish Church, said he would be saying prayers for the victims and the rescue workers in Pakistan and holding collections at all four services on Sunday.