Turkey earthquake: Cumbria restaurant owner's family trapped

Mehmet Durmas is waiting for information from Turkey

A restaurant owner unable to contact family members after his Turkish home town was hit by last week's earthquake is planning to take aid to the country.

Mehmet Durmus, who runs the Aspava restaurant in Cockermouth, Cumbria, has raised more than £7,700 after starting a fundraiser online.

He has not yet heard from his sister and some family members are believed to be trapped in Islahiye, Turkey.

The death toll has risen beyond 28,000 in southern Turkey and northern Syria.

Search operations are still under way as rescue workers continue to remove rubble almost a week after the disaster unfolded.

"My home town, which is a small town, is almost 60% destroyed and we still have lots of family that I haven't able to contact because some of them are actually still under rubble," Mr Durmus told the BBC.

"I still haven't managed to talk to my sister, and I still haven't managed to talk to my cousin, because there's no electricity or telephone line."

Mr Durmus, who has continued to run the restaurant while he waits for information from Turkey, said he had been inundated with support.

His fundraiser has attracted more than £7,700 in 72 hours.

Mr Durmus has been "overwhelmed" by the support in Cumbria

He intends to use this money to pay for aid, including food, water, building materials, blankets and bedding and hopes to travel to the country when it is safe.

He said he was "overwhelmed" by the generosity of those online and customers donating in his restaurant.

"£5, £500 or £10, it makes a big difference, we're seeing people come into my door and are saying can I give you this.

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"We're also seeing people say can I give you a hug and to me, that's worth £1m, I cant explain, it's not all about money."

Mr Durmus' appeal comes as people across the North East and Cumbria have been raising money for those in need.

Meanwhile, a UK appeal to help earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria has raised nearly £53m.

The appeal by a collection of aid agencies was launched by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and broadcast on television on Thursday evening.