Laura Gregg and Iris Loney from the Christian HOPE (Helping Oppressed People Everywhere) charity have been working in Burma for several years and have helped establish a Bible college as well as building a new children's home in the capital Yangon.

The Bible college now has 200 students on its books and around 30 Christian pastors - six of whom are currently unaccounted for following the devastation caused by the cyclone.

"We also believe that the children who were to move into the home are now taking shelter in the college , along with around 400 people from nearby villages who have been left homeless," said Laura. "The roof of the college building itself has been damaged and also the kitchen, boys' bathroom, girls' bathroom and guest hall and store rooms have been destroyed.

"We are desperate to help, reports have suggested that there is no water or electricity and on top of that, the price of food, oil and petrol has tripled."

Iris, who along with her husband Andrew is a director of the charity, says the priority now is sending money and aid to the countless victims of the cyclone, which is the worst in the country's history, demolishing buildings and leaving thousands without homes.

"The immediate risk is from disease if clean water and sanitation are not provided soon and the fact the World Health Organisation has described Burma has having the second worst health service in the world is not encouraging," said Iris. "An email from one of our contacts in Burma says the main problem is feeding all the homeless people. More than 150 Christian families belonging to the church have lost their homes and three village church buildings are gone.

"The church purchased rice and distributed to the needy, but this is not enough and those who have survived are now going hungry."

Iris and Laura both visited Burma last year and smuggled money and Bibles into the country which is run by a strict military junta who have been turning away foreign aid workers

"The local people are kind and gentle, but the ruling military are superstitious and keep ordinary people very much in the dark," said Laura. "Even before this happened, 90 per cent of people were living on less than 50 pence per day and basically surviving on a daily bowl of rice.

"If anyone tries to complain, they are quickly silenced - like the monks who tried to protest against the regime last year and were beaten, arrested and dispersed with tear gas. It is a very secretive country where our church has to remain underground for fear of persecution.