Badly Drawn Boy has lent his talents to a CD to raise money for people in Sudan's troubled Darfur region.

The Bolton pop star, whose real name is Damon Gough, is contributing a track to the compilation.

He features alongside REM, Ash and David Gray on the album released this week, which is being launched for Oxfam's Sudan appeal.

More than 30,000 people have been killed and 1.4 million driven from their homes in the region following 18 months of fighting between government troops and rebels.

Food and medicine are desperately needed in refugee camps, and the situation has been labelled the world's worst humanitarian crisis by the UN.

Badly Drawn Boy said: "The track I'm contributing is called 'Celebrate'. Not many people have heard it, and I just thought it was appropriate to add it to this cause.

"Just to be able to do something, even if it's very small, contributes to raising awareness and raising funds."

The 14-track album can be downloaded from the Internet and all artists contributing to it are forfeiting their royalties. The album retails at £7.99, of which £5 will go directly to the appeal.

Members of the public can also make a donation at www.oxfam.org.uk/sud

anemergency

The violence erupted when two African movements rebelled against the Khartoum regime, accusing it of siding with Arab tribes in disputes over scarce water and arable land.

which could be used to provide 15 people with clean drinking water

"Men, women and children are still dying every day in Sudan. People like us might not have the power to stop the violence, but at least we can try to help the people affected by it.