A LAST-DITCH push by "phenomenal" fundraisers has tipped York's tsunami appeal over the £75,000 barrier.

The bulging York Aid pot today received a final boost, with a tasty £3,000 donation from a city curry house chain.

Bengal Brasserie handed over the charity cheque after generous staff and customers dug deep to help tsunami victims.

Boss Iqbal Chowdhury - who came to the city from Bangladesh 30 years ago - was spurred into action after witnessing at first-hand the devastation natural disasters caused in his native country.

He said: "I've have seen the impact of floods and cyclones, and it's heartbreaking.

"In the blink of an eye everything went and I can imagine what happened during the tsunami.

"I thought: 'We have got to do something', so when the appeal was launched in the Evening Press we decided to play our part."

Mr Chowdhury, 52, and business partner Dobir Malik,helped organised the fundraising drive, which saw money-spinning events held at their restaurants in Goodramgate, Poppleton and Market Weighton.

Waiters and chefs donated one day's wages - and the £3,000 total was hit after proceeds from a special £15 set meal poured straight into tsunami coffers.

Community-minded Mr Chowdhury, who is now looking at ways to help support York Minster's latest fundraising drive, added: "Support from the general public has been phenomenal - it was brilliant.

"£75,000 is an amazing sum and I'm just pleased to play a part in it."

The curry house donation now means just over £75,000 from York will be handed to the record-breaking Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which is expected to top £300 million. The DEC recently ended its appeal, two months on from the tragedy, because agencies on the ground said they had enough cash to carry out aid work in stricken areas

Any further cash raised in York will go to a charity working to help tsunami victims.

Council leader Steve Galloway today welcomed the "substantial" donation.

He added: "Iqbal told me there have been problems in Bangladesh over the years, but nothing on the scale of the tsunami.

"We are very grateful to the people of York for their generosity."

The Evening Press and City of York Council launched York Aid on January 4, backed by civic, religious and businesses leaders.

It is now being wound up - and the final £75,000 total includes £10,000 from the council, £10,000 from Shepherd Building Group, more than £5,000 from council staff, and thousands from schools, businesses and individuals. York & County Press, parent company of the Evening Press, also contributed more than £5,300.

Updated: 10:50 Wednesday, March 23, 2005