CHESHIRE police have sent dental records to Foreign Office chiefs in a bid to identify people who have been killed by the Asian tsunami disaster.

Family liaison officers at Cheshire Constabulary are believed to have sent four sets of dental records in a bid to identify people who have been killed.

Chester-based family liaison officer PC Henry McCleary is understood to have taken the dental records to London.

It is not known whether the dental records relate to a number of people from Cheshire who have already been confirmed dead.

John Ratcliffe, a spokesman for the Cheshire Constabulary, said: 'We are dealing with families and we cannot give you a steer on who they are.

'If next of kin are in Cheshire, our role will be to support those people. The missing people could be from other parts of the country.'

Meanwhile, one Cheshire family is safely back home after being affected by both the Asian tsunami and this week's devastating flood in Carlisle!

Dorothy and John Wilkinson, of School Lane, Elton, were on holiday in Malaysia with their 13-year-old son Stephen when the earthquake struck on Boxing Day.

They felt their hotel in Penang shake but were not on the beach when the tidal wave hit although 68 people were killed, including many on the next beach.

Mrs Wilkinson couldn't believe it when she returned home after the nine-day break to discover much of her former home town of Carlisle was under water.

Her mother, brother, sister and nieces all live there but had escaped the worst of the deluge, although her brother-in-law's cement mixer lorry was wrecked.

Fellow Elton resident Amanda Barrow-clough is desperate for news about family friend John Kirkbright who may have been killed by the disaster.

Mr Kirkbright ran a guest house in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka. The resort was badly hit by the tsunami.

Mrs Barrowclough has made an appeal on the BBC website and her family have also contacted the Foreign Office and rang Mr Kirkbright on his mobile phone but to no avail.

Pensioner Joan Elias of Little Neston, who was holidaying in Thailand with her son Colin, has been revealed as one of hundreds of Britons to have perished in the tragedy.

The 75-year-old had been enjoying a trip to Phuket. Colin managed to escape the massive waves but Mrs Elias was killed.

Her body has been returned to England and she will be buried today (Friday).

Mrs Elias, a widow who lived in Talbot Close, was known in the area for her foreign trips.

Her sister, who lives next door but would not be named, said: 'Joan was full of life and full of fun. She was looking forward to her Christmas holiday with her son.

'Colin is safe but doesn't want to talk about what happened. It's very sad.'

The impact of the tsunami disaster has continued to touch the hearts of people throughout the country whose fundraising efforts are building momentum.

One of the biggest events so far took place at Chester's Northgate Arena on Saturday when Music in Chester staged a concert involving groups such as Handbag of Harmonies, the City of Chester Male Voice Choir and Chester Ladies Choir.

The event raised the magnificent sum of £12,000 which has since increased to £14,326, thanks to Gift Aid donations.

Organiser Mike Heathcote said: 'Not a single penny was spent on the promotion of the concert and every penny raised has been sent direct to the DEC Tsunami Earthquake Disaster Appeal.'