Regional newspapers have helped to raise more than £2.5m for victims of the Boxing Day tsunami.

Following the disaster regional titles across the UK launched appeals in conjunction with United Nations children’s organisation Unicef, and the charity has now thanked the industry for its “unprecedented” response.

Regional fundraising manager Caroline Graham said that appeals had been set up with 42 newspapers within days of the disaster – the most it had linked up with at any one time.

Campaigns run by the newspapers had also lasted much longer than in previous appeals.

Caroline said: “The response was so overwhelming, it outstripped anything else we have ever done.

“To have raised £2.5m is just incredible.

“It will also bring hope to so many children and I can’t thank them (the newspapers) enough.”

Among the newspapers to link up with Unicef was the Eastern Daily Press, which has so far raised £342,548 – more than any other regional title.

The Belfast Telegraph has also raised a mammoth £286,611, The Citizen in Gloucester has collected more than £236,000 and the Leicester Mercury’s tally stands at more than £180,000.

Eastern Daily Press deputy editor James Ruddy said he wasn’t surprised the paper had topped the donation list.

He said: “EDP readers are renowned worldwide for their generosity.

“For more than 15 years our readers have given us millions of pounds and helped to save thousands of lives from as far afield as Bosnia and Sierra Leone to Romania and Sudan.”

Caroline said money raised had been used to fund immediate aid such as clean water, medical equipment, immunizations and shelter.

Longer term it will also be used for rehabilitation, such as rebuilding schools and buying educational equipment.