CHESTER City Council is donating £5,000 towards the Sudan emergency in a bid to kick-start a wider humanitarian relief effort in the city.

The Liberal Democrat and Labour cabinet has backed a proposal by Conservative councillor, Richard Short, to make the charitable donation.

The cabinet has also agreed to write to local MPs and the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, urging the government to do all that it can.

The region has seen the ethnic cleansing of the native African population by the Sudanese backed Arabic militia, which has left thousands dead and a million people homeless and hungry.

Lib Dem council leader, Cllr David Evans, deputy leader, Labour councillor John Price and Conservative leader, Cllr Margaret Parker urged Chester residents and business people to help.

Donations can be sent to DEC Sudan Emergency, PO Box 999, London EC3.