A CHORLEY-based humanitarian aid charity is ready for action as the war on international terrorism was launched in Afghanistan this week.

International Aid Trust has supplies ready and waiting if called upon following the joint attacks by the USA and Britain.

Derrick Leach, personal assistant to Bernard Cocker, director and founder of the charity which has its headquarters on Bury Lane, Withnell, said: "At the moment we are referring everybody to the Red Cross. We haven't had any specific requests. We have aid if there's aid needed.

"People are ringing and calling into our charity shops asking about Afghanistan.

"But the problem is, it is not only Afghanistan, it is the other countries around where they are going to get refugees."

He added: "We are saying to anybody who rings us to liaise through the Red Cross and if the Red Cross or Government come to us we will put our feelers out.

"We are always on stand-by if there's any crisis. We have a big warehouse with aid such as food, clothing, blankets and medicines. We can react within a matter of a few hours.

"There will be a need with the refugee situation. We are keeping an eye on that."

International Aid Trust was launched in 1991, taking Christian literature and small amounts of aid into Russia, Belarus, Albania and Ukraine.

The organisation expanded rapidly and now has three warehouses, 15 charity shops, its own heavy goods vehicles and nine distribution centres around Eastern Europe.

It has also sent aid to Ghana, Gambia, India, China, Cuba, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Poland, Turkey, Kosova, and helped needy folk in this country.

Much of its work in Eastern Europe is with children affected by the Chernobyl disaster of 1986.