VOLUNTEERS from Hyndburn who went out to quake-hit Kashmir returned home at the weekend with news of a possible site for the construction of a village to be named after the borough.
They visited some of the worst-hit towns and identified an area between Muzaffarabad and Neelam Valley where they hope to build the village and where they distributed £20,000-worth of immediate aid including 100 family-size tents, 1,200 blankets and 200 family-size food packages.
Seventy potential families to live in the village were selected by volunteers. They include four girls and two boys from the same family whose mother and father were killed in the October earthquake which measured 7.6 on the Richter scale.
The eldest brother, aged 21, has lost his arm but is now responsible for looking after his five siblings, the youngest of whom is only six.
All the families' details were recorded and a video was taken of each person who might live in the village, which will include 100 homes, a primary school, a medical centre and a place of worship.
Debris has already started to be removed from the proposed site in preparation for construction which is due to start in February.
Mr Sadir Ali, chairman of the Blackburn Road Mosque, speaking on behalf of the volunteers, said: "The people in Kashmir greatly appreciated the efforts of Hyndburn citizens and expressed their delight that people thousands of miles away were sparing them a thought and helping them in whatever way they could."
Accrington's Raza and Ghousia Mosques, with the help of Hyndburn Council, shops, schools and the people of Hyndburn, have already raised £130,000 for the project.
Fund-raising is set to continue to ensure all the proposed village facilities are built.
