A fundraising campaign to help disfigured women in Bangladesh this week got off to a spicy start.

Keighley people of various cultures gathered together on Tuesday evening to eat curry at the town's Balti House restaurant.

All 90 seats were sold out and the night raised more than £600 in total for the Bangladeshi Acid Survivors Trust.

The £450 ticket proceeds were boosted by £100 from a raffle and £60 from the owners of the Russell Street restaurant.

The Rev Peter Mott, one of the organisers, said one of the aims was to bring people of various communities together.

He said: "It was a really harmonious occasion with English, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Indian people, including a large contingent of women."

The event was organised by Christians and Muslims who have united to raise £4,000 over the next six months.

The money will go to a British charity, the Bangladeshi Acid Survivors Trust, which supports the Acid Survivors Foundation, in Bangladesh.

The foundation works with mainly young women in Bangladesh who have suffered total facial burns as a result of acid attacks, perhaps by a jilted lover or over a dowry dispute.

The money pays for plastic surgeons to reconstruct the women's faces, and therapy, education and training so they can rebuild their lives.

Specialist surgeons, nurses and therapists are sent from Europe to treat the victims, and also to train Bangladeshi staff to continue the work.

The Keighley fundraising group is spearheaded by the Rev Peter Mott, from Keighley Shared Church, and Keighley's Bangladeshi Community Association.

Mr Mott said it cost £700 to send a plastic surgeon or specialist to Bangladesh and £400 to support a survivor for three months.

He said: "The problem appears to be growing in Bangladesh, with 103 cases reported in 1987, 221 in 2000, and 338 in 2001.

"Many cases happen in remote areas and are not reported to the authorities.

"The Bangladeshi government recently increased the sentence for these attacks to life imprisonment."

The next fundraising event in Keighley will be on June 20, at 7pm, in St Andrew's Primary School, Lustre Street, off West Lane.

Keighley MP Ann Cryer will talk about "crimes of honour", which include acid attacks, and Charlie Bhowmick will show slides of the Himalayas.

Tickets costing £1 are available by phoning Mr Mott on 01535 601499.

Alternatively, phone the Bangladeshi Community Association on 01535 604359.