A crowdfunding project has been set up by a Lanarkshire group to pay for a convoy of vans to carry vital supplies to migrants in Calais.

The team from Wishaw plans to take sleeping bags, blankets, clothing, food and toiletries to a refugee camp near the port town in northern France on October 16.

‘From Wishaw to Calais’ has raised more than £1,000 a few days after launching the cash drive online.

One of the organisers, Angela Feeney, said: “This project aims to provide the people who are suffering in Calais with necessities that are running low in the refugee camps known as the jungle.

“We are doing this by collecting supplies to drive down with, but to do this and to run as many vans as possible we need to fundraise money to cover the costs of petrol.

“Every penny will go towards the petrol costs to run supplies to the people in Calais.”

High profile backers include Lothian MSP Neil Findlay who tweeted a link to the crowdfunding page and encouraged people to donate.

He wrote: “We are collecting clothes, toiletries, sleeping bags etc. to help refugees in Europe - if you can donate contact me.”

Former Labour MP and MSP Cathy Jamieson has also pledged £250 towards petrol costs from her party’s local branch in Ayrshire.

A parallel project is expected to be set up in Glasgow soon which would see vans set off from the city and join the Wishaw convoy.

Collection points for donations can be found at the ‘Wishaw to Calais’ Facebook page and cash can be pledged at crowdfunder.co.uk/from-wishaw-to-calais.

Meanwhile, two supporters have pledged to walk from Wishaw to Dover to raise cash, before joining the convoy.

Kenneth Duffy and Nikki McMillian have already raised £200 from donations.

Kenneth said: “Nikki and I have decided to walk from Wishaw to Dover, a total of 456 miles, to get the ferry to Calais.

“This effort will be met at the Dover ferry port on October 17 by other activists who are collecting donations so we can deliver aid to those desperate people.

“Raising money and receiving supplies is important to this cause, but raising awareness and changing the narrative is vital.

“While the government continues to play politics over the humanitarian crisis; there are people, amongst them thousands of children, facing a winter in conditions we would not leave the family pet outside in.

“Let’s challenge the narrative, let us help people and change the way we are as a world. We can be better than this.”

To donate, visit everyclick.com/motherwell4calais/info.