A FUND set up in memory of murdered Burnley aid worker Michael Blakey has raised £4,000 in less than a month.

Michael, 23, of Mayfair Road, Pike Hill, was working for the Tong-Len Charitable Trust, helping refugee families in northern India when he was killed in November.

Following his death Anna Owen, 64, who runs the British side of the charity Michael helped to set up with her daughter Rachel Owen, launched an appeal in December to raise £20,000.

The money would be used by the charity to help buy land and build a centre in honour of Michael to continue Tong Len's work.

Now in less than a month wellwishers - including Michael's father, Paul, and brother, Chris - have pledged £2,515 to the fund on a website set up to raise cash.

Mrs Owen said she had collected several cheques for the fund including one for £1,000.

She said: "I would reckon we are up to about £4,000 which I am really pleased about.

"Obviously our target is £20,000 which would probably buy the land then there is building costs.

"There is a long way to go but we will get there."

Michael, a former St Theodore's High pupil and Swansea University graduate was in the Dharamsala region of India when he disappeared.

His body was found buried beneath rocks in a gully near the Anglican church where he worshipped, five days after he went missing from a nearby monastery where he was staying.

A man was found with Michael's mobile phone and police said they were looking into a possible robbery motive for the murder.

Donations can be made at http://www.justgiving.com/michaelblakey.