A KENT businessman is planning his own aid mission to areas hit by the massive Indian Ocean tsunami.

Wesley Baker, managing director of specialist surfing and snow holiday company Pure Vacations at Whitstable, spent 72 hours working non-stop to ensure all his customers in the region were safe and has now accounted for everyone.

Mr Baker is now planning to rally the surfing community and hopes they can rebuild at least one region. He said: "It breaks my heart to know that I have lost so many friends overseas in the whole region and to see children and adults dying in such numbers.

"I am planning to form some type of charity rescue mission soon that will raise funds, equipment and assistance to the surf tourism regions and help these areas develop.

"I feel that Pure Vacations should do everything possible to assist all the disaster regions and in the next few weeks I will put together an action plan to select an area to try and help rebuild."

Mr Baker has been organising surfing holidays to the area since 1999 and had seven customers in Sri Lanka when the waves hit. Two were even surfing at the time.

He said: "It has been a very stressful time but everyone is now accounted for and is returning home.

"Surfing people are very community-minded and I am sure they will all rally round to help as much as they can. I will be approaching all surfing companies in the UK, Europe and the world to assist with this, requesting everything from equipment to clothing and will also ask surfers to help raise funds through sponsored events."

Whitstable-based charity worker John McGhie is also helping to co-ordinate the rescue mission for Christian Aid.

The charity has sent a fact-finding team to Sri Lanka who have reported that there are still areas not yet reached by the authorities.

"I don't think we will ever know exactly how many people were killed because so many are buried or swept away. The numbers are beyond imagination.

"Christian Aid immediately made a quarter of a million pounds available and people can help by pledging money. A lot of people have offered clothes which is a very generous gesture but it is hard cash that is really needed."

Money can be pledged via Christian Aid on 08080 044044 or the Disaster and Emergency Committee on 08706 060900.