BISPHAM charity worker Shaun Walsh is a long way from home at the moment.

He's in India trying to help with the aftermath of the earthquake in Gujurat which has killed tens of thousands of people

Shaun, 39, from Norfolk Avenue, is vice president of the international aid agency Food for the Hungry International (FHI) and he jetted off on February 5 to co-ordinate their aid effort in India.

Shaun told The Citizen that he and his wife, Denise, have spent half their lives working to help others and, although their three children were born in Blackpool, they were raised mainly in East Africa.

"I have spent most of the last 20 years living abroad, working for International Christian Relief, The World Council of Churches and the FHI," he said. The FHI has already organised £500,000-worth of basic supplies, medical equipment, food and clean water to be sent to some of India's worst hit areas, including Bhuj -- the earthquake's epicentre -- and Andaar, where more than a third of the population have died and up to 10,000 are still believed to be buried.

But more still needs to be done and, after two days staying in New Delhi, Shaun travelled to these areas to make sure those who need help get it. He said: "It is awful out there. In Andaar the town has just been levelled. One of the main things they need is tents.

"Although there is a wealth of doctors and qualified people in India, many are now completely homeless so we need around 9,000 tents to make temporary homes."

With so many of the dead still underground there is a serious risk that decomposing bodies will contaminate water systems and cause disease.

So what motivates Shaun to give his life so selflessly to helping others? Shaun said: "I get a thrill from trying to find something good in every situation. The satisfaction is in getting whatever we can from our supporters and then giving it to those in desperate need.

"At the very least it is worth it just to see a child smile.

"When the cameras go away, people think the problem goes away, but this is simply not the case and I want to remind people of that."