More than 350 boxes of aid are to be transported out to Gaza

David Halpin's Dove and Dolphin charity has already sent two deliveries of aid to the Israeli port of Ashdod, destined for Palestinian communities in the Gaza Strip.

Now his wife, Sue, and members of the Exeter Friends of Palestine group have gathered together more than 350 boxes of toys, clothes, computers, and knitting and sewing machines.

It is hoped the aid will be shipped out from the UK within the next few weeks.

Mr Halpin, from Haytor in south Devon, first sent aid last February when he spent �60,000 of his own money chartering a cargo vessel.

David Halpin is hoping to overcome previous delays

But the second consignment, which arrived in Ashdod in August, took four months to be released by the Israeli authorities before the aid could be distributed in Gaza.

Mr Halpin said he hoped the latest consignment would not suffer such long delays.

"We are going to ask the Israeli Embassy to give us some assurances that the container will go through quickly.

"We are going to involve one of the Israeli peace groups, who may help us in a direct way.

"We are also going to use several other ways of making quite sure the container goes through pretty rapidly.