Two Colchester doctors were today flying to tsunami-hit Sri Lanka with medical supplies donated by town firms.

Vital help - packing up supplies at East Hill Surgery are Dr Sayomi Gunawardena and Elmer Van Der Hoek with practice administrator Anne Palmer. (40262-1)

Staff at the East Hill Surgery launched a race against time to raise funds for medication for Sri Lankan-born Dr Sayomi Gunawardena and hospital doctor Elmer Van Der Hoek, to take with them.

Practice administrator Anne Palmer, with staff members Sheila Warren and Margaret Collins, co-ordinated the operation, phoning round local businesses seeking donations yesterday.

Collections at other surgeries around the town raised £250 and the Evening Gazette's publisher Newsquest donated £250, all of which will be used to buy antibiotics.

Asda gave 50 bottles of disinfectant and Sainsbury's donated six bottles of disinfectant.

The Co-op, in Long Wyre Street, gave antibiotics, dressings and surgical gloves and other doctor's surgeries across the town donated supplies.

Millet's and Blacks in the town gave water-purifying tablets towards the trip.

Warnings of new tidal waves sent panic through southern India today.

The alert was issued after information that several aftershocks in the region had pushed up the water level.

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Published Thursday, December 30, 2004

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