A GERMAN club twinned with York Lions was so moved by the television coverage of last month's floods that it has sent £2,500 to help local victims.

Mulheim Hellweg-Ruhr has been twinned with York Lions Club for 25 years and has sent a cheque which has been presented to the Lord Mayor of York, Coun Shan Braund.

Douglas Hudson, past-president and honorary member of York Lions Club, said: "This donation was a very generous and spontaneous gesture from our fellow Lions in Germany.

"As soon as they saw the pictures of the floods on the television they got together and raised £2,500 and sent it to us."

And there was meant to be a timely case of helping hands across the Pennines when Coun Braund should have received nearly £500 from a Bolton man to boost the city's flood relief fund.

But, unfortunately, snow kept pensioner Alf Hales away.

The 79-year-old should have made his journey across the Pennines from his home in Bolton to present the cheque.

Coun Braund said: "It is amazing how the news of the flooding in York has touched the hearts of so many."

Anyone wishing to contribute to the flood fund should send cheques (payable to "The York Flood Relief Fund") to York CVS, 15 Priory Street, York, YO1 6ET.