'truth' A RIBBLE Valley student is on a mercy mission to tell the true story of the aftermath of the tsunami disaster in South-East Asia.

Journalism graduate Richard Hartley-Parkinson, 23, from Newton-in-Bowland, was so moved by the tide of destruction that he decided to fly out to help in the aid effort.

While in Sri Lanka, he saw at first hand the monumental task of rebuilding shattered communities and has become angered by widespread corruption that he says is threatening to derail the international aid effort.

Nearly 300,000 people died in the Boxing Day earthquake and sea surges with many thousands more having their homes and livelihoods wrecked. In Sri Lanka alone 100,000 homes were lost and 65 per cent of the fishing fleet damaged.

Richard, a former pupil St Augustine's School, Billington, last year gained a degree in media and print journalism from Huddersfield University and has now linked up with the Daily Mirror, a national English-speaking newspaper in Sri Lanka.

Speaking from Colombo, Richard revealed the extent of the task facing a country that he has witnessed since arriving last week.

He said: "The scale of the suffering and corruption is overwhelming. I've seen a massive military presence on the streets of Colombo. I've heard stories about the government holding on to aid for regions controlled by Tamil rebels.

"I only came out here to help with the international aid effort, but I was so shocked by tales of corruption that I contacted the newspaper and asked that, with my journalism training, if I could write for them.

"They've paid for my accommodation and have asked me to visit refugee camps to get the real stories."

l The New Life For Lokna Appeal, which was set up by the Lancashire International Disaster Fund, to help an Indonesian vilage hit by the tsunami, has now passed the £20,000 mark.

Much of that money has now been sent out to Lokna - the village where the Dean of Blackburn's son, Johnathan Armstrong, lost 40 of his relatives.