A MONTH on from the devastating typhoon that rocked the Philippines, the generosity of the British public has helped 1.6 million people affected by the crisis.

Since disaster struck, people in the UK have raised more than £73 million to help fund crucial aid, the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) said.

The money, which includes donations from the Royal Family and the Government, is helping to provide much-needed clean water, food, medical care and materials for temporary shelter to those affected.

David and Victoria Beckham donated 20 boxes of clothing to a Red Cross shop to help boost funds.

The DEC said its aid agencies had so far reached 1.6 million survivors, but that many people still need emergency assistance. In some remote areas, little or no aid has reached survivors because roads are damaged .

The scale of the disaster was enormous, with almost 15 million people now known to be affected, according to the latest Philippines Government data.

Typhoon Haiyan destroyed or damaged the homes of six million people and the death toll is more than 5700. DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said: "People have seen the devastation in the Philippines and decided that they simply had to help.

"The UK public has once again placed its trust in the DEC and our member agencies. We feel the weight of that trust as heavily as our obligation to help those whose lives have been ripped apart by this terrible storm."