VALE fund-raisers have received a big thank you from tsunami victims after sending them £1,126 earlier this year.

An Evening with Merlin was arranged at Evesham Working Men's Club in January and attended by about 200 local people. The entertainment also included drag artist Brian Bennett, opera singer Sarah Brooks and a raffle.

Mr Bennett, a kidney patient who organised the event around his dialysis times, said everyone had a great time and the money raised went straight to the staff at a hotel on a beach at Phuket.

Mr Bennett, of Princess Road, said: "A friend of mine, Roger Bates, stays there every year, and he was there when the disaster struck but luckily on a safer side of the island. We decided to send the money directly to the staff at the hotel to ensure that they would get every penny."

Now Mr Bennett has received a thank-you letter from the manager of Le Meridien Hotel, Philippe Seigle, and a detailed list of who the cash went to, and why.

One of the grateful recipients was hotel steward and father of four Sooksan Koysakul, whose family was homeless after the tsunami flattened his house. He received 150,000 THB (the Thailand baht) to help him towards rebuilding.

Mother of one Malee Sae-tan, was affected when the tidal wave damaged the back of her house disturbing the foundations. She was given 15,000 THB. Another member of staff, Ratree Panan was given a larger sum after her husband died in the tsunami and she was given funds to help educate their children.

Mr Bennett said: "We sent the money about five weeks ago - it's really nice to have good feedback."