A PEEBLESSHIRE family has raised more than £2,500 for the flood appeal in Pakistan.

Shaz Ranzan, who runs J & R Bell Newsagents in West Linton, has been taking donations from customers in his shop in aid of the emergency appeal.

This summer, the country was hit by severe flooding which has seen almost 2,000 deaths and areas, like Sindh province, are still under water.

Mr Ranzan said: “There are still areas of Pakistan that are 10 feet under water.

“It’s very surreal.”

Mr Ranzan and his wife Kiran were in Pakistan in July with their two children visiting family, and managed to avoid the floods.

He said: “Luckily they [the family] were okay.

“Her [Kiran] two brothers are in charge of our flood relief on their side.

“They know what to do and where to go. They’ve been the real stars helping out.”

Shaz was inspired to set up a fundraiser for Pakistan following his trip and a hotel he had stayed at in the north of Pakistan had been washed away.

“Within six weeks the whole hotel had vanished,” he added, “never to be replaced because unfortunately in that kind of area you don’t really have building insurance or things like that.

“That’s what kick started me to think I need to do something.

“So, I put a little pot in the shop seeing if anyone would like to donate.

“And within two weeks we’d raised almost £2,500.”

Donations made in Shaz’s shop or via bank transfer to Kiran’s Kitchen (the business run by Kiran) are used to buy vital supplies for those affected by the floods.

Last month Shaz shared on social media: “Kiran’s oldest brother Dr Tanweer has managed to get medical supplies for the first set of boxes we are making.

“[Her] brother Touqeer (senior accountant) will use the remaining donations to buy food supplies that will be boxed up and put on the truck.

“We are spending every pound on supplies and costs are our own.”

The floods in Pakistan began this summer as part of the monsoon season.

In addition to nearly 2,000 deaths, the floods have seen 2,000 people hospitalised and thousands have be displaced as homes have been destroyed.

The parcels of food, medical items and basic items funded by the appeal also carry the logo for Kiran’s Kitchen, and come with a message showing that the items have come from the West Linton community.

For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/KiransKitchenWestLinton