EDP readers have once again shown their amazing generosity by donating �20,450 to our joint appeal with the children's charity Unicef to aid those suffering in the East Africa famine.

The money is already being put to good use despite it being little over a week since the appeal began.

But famine has now spread to three more areas in southern Somalia including the capital Mogadishu where hundreds of thousands of people have fled in search of help.

Three weeks ago, the forecast was for the entire southern Somalia to fall famine by December but last week the Famine Early Warning Systems Network revised this and said that famine will spread to all regions by the end of September.

Terry Ally, Unicef UK spokesman , said: 'We have already scaled up our operations and are bringing in more life-saving supplies such as therapeutic foods, vaccines and medicines. More than 500 tonnes of emergency supplies have been flown in. Some of this was paid for by money raised by EDP readers.

'But one girl or boy is dying of starvation every six minutes in Somalia. We urgently need the EDP readers to share a little of what they have – �5 can feed a child for a week.

'The clock is ticking for children across East Africa and everything must be done to reach those in the worst affected regions as quickly as possible.'

At a time when it the news is dominated by young people rioting in several areas of the UK, the generous nature of EDP readers helps to restore pride in our country.

Peter Waters, EDP editor, said: 'With the country stumbling through a recession, low interest rates and rising prices of everything from fuel to food, it wouldn't be a surprise to see people giving less money to charity, but this figure shows the typical generosity of EDP readers who don't just care about what is happening on their own doorstep but also in parts of the world where our help is desperately needed.'

There is also good news about seven-month-old Mihag Gedi Farah, who became the 'face of the famine'.

As reported last week, he weighed the same as a new born when he arrived at a field hospital in Kenya but he has now put on weight and is on the road to recovery.