Respected journalist Martin Bell is backing a joint appeal by the Telegraph & Argus and UNICEF to raise cash to save the lives of six million children who face starvation.

As the United Nations Children's Fund special representative, he has just visited Malawi - one of the famine-threatened countries - to see the extent of the crisis first hand.

And the former Independent MP said he was stunned by the scenes of human suffering.

"I had expected things to be bad but they were more shocking than I could have anticipated.

"I travelled to the worst affected villages where men, women and children are, in their own words 'just sitting and waiting to die'.

"Scourges of drought and floods have left dried-out fields yielding just one bag of maize to last them until next March. Prices of food have tripled, the silos are empty and children are beginning to starve."

He said he had heard a couple had sold their child for under £3 just to be able to feed their remaining youngsters and others were eating grass, leaves and mice.

"We have to realise that this crisis will intensify and the Western world cannot simply sit back and watch it happening," he said. "We need action - mere lip service and supportive words won't help."

In Malawi alone 3.2 million people are affected by the crisis and at least 45,000 children under five and 185,000 pregnant women are receiving support and hope from UNICEF. The charity's food distributions and feeding centres provide for the most malnourished children and they are fighting to fend off a cholera epidemic.

Louis Coles, fundraising manager for Yorkshire, said there was still a huge gap between what is promised and what is needed in terms of aid.

"The donations and concern from people of West Yorkshire in the past days and weeks have been gratefully welcomed by UNICEF and we thank you for your response.

"But without your further support for UNICEF to provide immediate aid many children will die knowing nothing else but hunger.