A Brighton mother is sending a second lorry-load of donated clothes to Iraq to help people displaced by war.

Samara Levy, from Ovingdean, is collecting donations of winter clothes, shoes, sleeping bags and mattresses as well as wheelchairs and crutches to send in the lorry.

Mrs Levy said: “I’m sending it just because there is such a desperate need out there and in this country we have a lot to share that we can give to these people who have nothing.”

The first lorry arrived on November 6 in the city of Dorhuk, where there are about 700,000 displaced people.

Her inspiration came from reading reports on Israeli refugees at Christmas.

She said: “I just thought ‘how on earth are those poor mothers managing’ because I had a one-year-old at the time and he had just started walking.

“I wondered ‘how do you confine a child to a tent when they are that age, how do you manage if they’re trying to walk around outside in the snow and you have no shoes to give them?’”

Her oldest son, Dominic, attends Brighton College pre-prep school.

Mrs Levy appealed to the school for help and school chaplain Father Robert Easton was enthusiastic for the school to teach its pupils to be charitable.

Father Easton said: “Samara Levy is all heart. On her suggestion that Brighton College might help with the provision of winter clothing, the whole of the school – from the smallest pupil in the pre-prep to the biggest sixth former – immediately pitched in.

“We are so proud of Mrs Levy and her achievements and hope to help similar acts of charity in the future.”

One student said: “There were announcements in assemblies telling us about the drive and there were advertisements in the weekly newsletter for about three or four weeks asking us to bring in supplies to the chapel, things like clothes and nappies.”

Mission and Relief Logistics provided the second lorry, which has been funded, but more donations are needed.

The Jesus Fellowship Church in Brighton has agreed to provide a drop-off point at a residential address at 161 Marine Parade from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

Anyone who would like to donate can bring items to the church, call Samara on 07960 937 716, or email samara_abdelnoor @hotmail.com.

More information can be found on the Winter Clothes Appeal for Iraq at www.facebook.co.uk/winterclothes appeal. The deadline for donations is November 20.