Virgin chief donates £50,000 to appeal

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson has donated £50,000 (€70,000) to the relief effort for areas ravaged by the Indian Ocean tsunami.

He joined other leading business figures and companies sending cheques to the Disasters Emergency Committee.

Virgin is also planning a relief flight from London which will carry bottled water supplies, donated by Somerfield, to Sri Lanka along with clothing and blankets. The flight is expected to arrive in Colombo on January 2.

Other Virgin flights will also carry shelter boxes, clothing, temporary housing and water purification supplies into the region which will help several thousand people.

It is linking up with the Salvation Army and Rotary International to get supplies delivered on the ground.

Passengers on Virgin flights will also be asked to donate their small change to the appeal.