A PLEA to help help a family living in extreme poverty following a tragic accident has had an overwhelming response.

Jasmin Akter, 13, Ismail Mohammed, 15, and Yeasin Mohammed, 18, have been left to fend for themselves for after their mother was seriously injured in a car accident while visiting family in Bangladesh in the summer.

With next to no income, they had barely enough food to get by.

When staff at Carlton Bolling College, where Jasmin and Ismail are pupils, found out about the situation they started a fundraising appeal.

On Tuesday, the Telegraph & Argus published a story about the family's plight. Since then the school, in Undercliffe, has been flooded with offers of money, food and furniture and around £4,000 has been raised, with further events planned during the school holidays.

School staff and the family said they were overwhelmed by the support.

Yeasin said: "It has been amazing, I want to thank everyone so much. There are people who are doing fundraising for us. We are so grateful to everyone."

The head teacher's assistant, Janet Dunn, said there had been constant calls with offers of support.

She added: "It has been absolutely unbelievable. There has been about £4,000 donated so far, with events planned for over the holidays.

"We just can't believe how many people have come forward, and they've offered cash, food and furniture. It's been individuals and businesses."

The family moved to Bangladesh to escape fighting in Burma when Yeasin was a baby. The children's father, Dil Mohammed, died 14 years ago.

Five years ago they moved to Bradford.

The children's mother, Mahfuza Khatun, was in a car accident that left her with spinal injuries. She did not have travel insurance, so the family has soaring bills for her medical treatment.

The flight back from Bangladesh alone cost the family more than £7,000.

With the eldest son unable to access his mother's benefits while she was in hospital, the three teenagers were left with only his benefits to live on - £57 a week.

Yeasin had hoped to become an apprentice, but instead splits his time between visiting his mother in Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield and running their home.

l Bradford-based Intouch Foundation is holding a fundraiser for the family and others living in poverty on Sunday, December 28.

The event, at the Willowfield Centre on Legrams Lane, runs from 5pm until 9pm and will include talks about poverty and a meal.

For more information about the event, call founder Osman Gondal on 07865 994953.

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