A WEST Dorset couple who have been doing charity work in Fiji for more than 15 years have told of their experience as the worst cyclone ever to hit the southern hemisphere tore through the Pacific nation.

Cyclone Winston left more than 40 people dead and tens of thousands homeless when it hit the island with winds of up to 350 km/h.

Peter and Margaret Long, who set up the Children of Fiji project to help disadvantage youngsters in 2000, were in Fiji when Winston struck.

The Cattistock couple had been working on their latest project on the island if Vanua Levu, where they are building a bridge to enable children to get to school safely.

They said: "We were actually in Suva when Cyclone Winston arrived. It was quite a scary experience with extremely strong winds and sounds of flying debris all around

"There are lots of trees down and damage to buildings. Many places are still without power."

"There was a certain amount of warning and people had time to secure their properties as best they could.

"However, at that point nobody realised that it was to be the worst cyclone (category 5) ever to strike in the southern hemisphere."

The Longs say other areas of Fiji have suffered much worse than where they were, with whole villages flattened and some of the more remote communities are still cut off so the full extent of the damage is yet to be realised.

They said: "Many thousands of people have literally lost everything they had."

"Where possible there have been evacuation centres set up, but in some villages they are just using makeshift shelters with whatever they have been able to salvage.

"The biggest problem at the moment is lack of fresh water and food, resulting in the real risk of disease."

The couple say aid is now beginning to arrive and they are turning their charity and fundraising efforts to helping those affected by the cyclone.

Their local pub in Cattistock, the Fox and Hounds, is holding a fundraising event on todayand the Longs says they really appreciate their help.

Money raised so far is being used to purchase tarpaulins for shelter, mosquito nets and water purification tablets.

Anyone who wishes to donate can do so online at https://winston.everydayhero.com/uk/winston

Alternatively, money can be paid directly into the charity account: Barclays Bank plc, sort code 20-26-62, account name Children of Fiji, account number 10464007.