Aid for Eastern European orphanages, collected by a Bradford charity over the past 18 months, has been destroyed in a fire.

Clothes, bedding and toys destined for the Ukraine has gone up in smoke, leaving trustees of Take Hope Yorkshire devastated. The charity had been due to send out supplies next month.

Andrew McVeigh of Denholme, who runs Take Hope, was at Bradford’s Ukrainian Club having a list of all the items translated when fire ripped through a church hall where the aid was being stored on Sunday.

“There was enough to fill two lorries,” said Mr McVeigh.

“There were table tennis tables, craft kits, and a cooker for a soup kitchen. We’d bought some items with money raised over the past 18 months, and other things like clothing and bedding were donated. People have been so generous.

“Everything was ready to go, all labelled up. We can’t believe this has happened.”

Mr McVeigh said six appliances attended the blaze, at St Mary’s Church Hall, Halifax. Now he is seeking new storage premises.

Trustees are pressing ahead with plans to travel to Ukraine next month.

“Some items, such as bikes and mattresses, were stored in another place so at least we can take them,” said Mr McVeigh.

“We’ll have to start fundraising again.” Working in the Vinogradiv region, Take Hope supplies wheelchairs for children, supports a charity providing 200 daily meals to poor families and supplies equipment and uniforms for an under-funded fire crew. Much of the charity’s work is at an orphanage.