A Devon surgeon's mercy mission to Palestinians in Gaza has made its first stopover in Malta.

David Halpin, 62, and the crew of the cargo vessel, Barbara, have tied up in Valetta.

Mr Halpin left Torbay at the beginning of the month for the 3,000-mile journey to ferry 55 tonnes of aid to the Palestinian people.

Speaking from Malta, Mr Halpin said: "The mission seems to have caught people's imagination - people are warming to the whole idea."

The ship is carrying 55 tonnes of aid for Gaza

The Danish-registered Barbara is expected to dock on Saturday or Sunday at the Israeli port of Ashdod, near the northern border with the Gaza strip.

From there, the aid will be delivered by road.

Donations to Mr Halpin's �95,000 mission have reached about �20,000.

His wife, Sue, said at the family home at Haytor, near Newton Abbot, that money and letters had been sent from around the country.

She said: "Most of the donations are from ordinary folk. They have very touching reasons for wanting to help."

Mr Halpin chartered the vessel as a New Year resolution to help around 1.1m refugees.

The Barbara is carrying aid including 40 tonnes of flour, one tonne of Cheddar cheese, three tonnes of edible oils, five tonnes of milk powder, 1.4 tonnes of waste wool for weaving and �1,500 worth of medical dressings.