FLOOD victims in Pakistan are “very emotional” about the generosity of Harrow residents who donated to an appeal which is rebuilding homes in the country.

Over £60,000 was raised for the Pakistan Flood Appeal, set up by the Mayor of Harrow, councillor Asad Omar, in August last year and work is nearly complete on the first nine houses benefiting from the money.

Ilyas Khan, a founding member of Harrow Central Mosque, said the response from people in the borough had provoked a tearful response from the victims he had visited in Pakistan.

He said: “They were very emotional and thanking me, and I said to them – 'don't say thank you to me, say thank you to the people who collected the money in Harrow.'"

“There are people staying with family, but some are staying in tents. These people have nothing - it's very difficult to live there at the moment, but it's what they have to do.”

The fund has been used to start work on an initial nine houses in the Pattan area of Kohistan district which will be finished by March, housing 149 people, with at least six more houses to be built after that.

More than £27,000 of the money was raised through personal donations, something the mayor said he was delighted by.

He said: “We never expected we would raise £50,000 in three months, and I would like to thank all the people of Harrow – it's not just the Muslim community, it's all the communities of Harrow.”

Mr Khan said the Pattan district was chosen because its mountainous terrain and remoteness meant that it had received little support from large relief agencies and the people there were very poor.

As part of the appeal's aim to help the victims to help themselves, the families levelled ground and built retaining walls for the new houses, which are earthquake resistant.

Council leader Bill Stephenson said: “I can't think of a more immaculate way of fundraising than what you have done. It makes me so proud to live in Harrow.”

The mayor invited people who donated to go and see the houses in Pattan for themselves, and said although the appeal was drawing to a close help would still be welcomed.

He said: “If anybody wants to make further donations they will be gratefully received.”