A Helston-based charity is planning to send more life-saving aid to Iranian earthquake victims following a "tremendous" response to an urgent appeal for funds.

Over the past few days, money and offers of help have come pouring in to the Shelterbox Trust headquarters on the Water-ma-Trout industrial estate, from where one consignment of vital aid equipment has already been despatched.

The recent donations mean members of Helston-Lizard Rotary Club, who are behind the Shelterbox project, are hoping to send a further 100 boxes to Iran early next week.

Project leader Tom Henderson said the public response to the appeal had been "absolutely fantastic".

"The phone has been in meltdown and people have been driving here with £20 notes because they can't get through," he said. "We have had hundreds of cheques - not large amounts but every contribution, however small, is important. Helston really seems to have taken this project to heart."

A consignment of 110 shelter boxes flown into the devastated Iranian city of Bam - just days after the Boxing Day quake - was the first UK aid to reach the country.

Keen to offer further assistance, the Rotarians appealed for donations towards a second wave of boxes due to be driven to Iran in a joint operation with the Midlands-based charity the Samaritan's Purse.

Various community groups and organisations in the Helston area and beyond responded to the appeal, including Porthleven Methodist Church, which decided to donate collections from its Sunday services, and churches and individuals in Mawnan Smith, who raised a staggering £1,300 in just 48 hours.

Mr Henderson said: "The response has been tremendous. I think most people thought we were just a couple of guys in a garage packing a few boxes, so everybody who comes here is absolutely gobsmacked at the size of the operation.

"We are now players on the world stage and I think people in Helston are waking up to the fact that they have a major international aid organisation of some merit on their doorstep."

The boxes, and the equipment contained within them, including a ten-man tent, sleeping bags, torches, ropes, cooking utensils and water purification tablets, are stored at the Helston warehouse, but cannot be sent out until enough money to cover the cost of each £460 box has been received by the charity.

During 2003, boxes were despatched to help victims of disasters in global hot spots including Iraq, Liberia and Uganda.

The aim of the project, which was set up three years ago, is to provide long-term aid in the aftermath of humanitarian and natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and wars.

The project is unique in that the boxes provide a complete aid package designed to help keep families together. Another major strength is that each and every donor knows exactly where the aid he or she contributed to has been sent.