A Devon surgeon who chartered a cargo ship to ferry humanitarian aid to Gaza in Palestine has set sail on his mercy mission.

After a month of planning and hard work, 62-year-old David Halpin left Brixham on Saturday night for the 3,000-mile trip.

He and three supporters were on board the Danish-registered vessel Barbara, which was loaded with 55 tonnes of aid.

Mr Halpin, from Haytor, near Newton Abbot, decided to help the people of Gaza in a New Year resolution.

The aid ship was loaded with goods in Torquay

The vessel's cargo included 40 tonnes of flour, one tonne of Cheddar cheese, three tonnes of edible oils and five tonnes of milk powder.

About 1.4 tonnes of waste wool for weaving and �1,500 worth of medical dressings were also on board.

Before departing, Mr Halpin said: "We are sailing as ordinary people to meet ordinary people in Gaza."

The mercy mission is costing him about �95,000.

With Mr Halpin are 24-year-old Stuart Lawley, from Dorset, who works for the Centre for Adolescent Rehabilitation, and 55-year-old musician John Maughan, from Boscastle in Cornwall.

Also on board is 51-year-old Brixham trawler skipper John Hingley, whose vessel Jacoba was to be used for the voyage until it was ruled out by maritime regulations.

During the voyage, the Barbara is flying a 75-foot long banner reading "justice, peace, brotherhood of man", as well as another bearing the words "shalom" and "salam".

The aid is intended to help the 1.1m Palestinian refugees from Israel who live in Gaza.

The vessel is heading for Gibraltar, and will then go on to the Israeli port of Ashdod, near the northern border of the Gaza Strip.

From there, the aid will be delivered by road.