A LAWYER was so moved by the tragic impact of Typhoon Haiyan on the Philippines that she went out to join the relief effort.

Summer Abrahams from Bournemouth went online to make a donation but ended up signing up to take part in the clear-up herself.

The typhoon that struck the Philippines in November is known to have claimed 6,155 lives in the country, with another 1,785 missing.

Summer, a dispute resolution and road traffic lawyer at Ellis Jones in Charminster, flew to Bantayan Island to work with Young Pioneer Tours.

“I just went online to make a donation and stumbled on a link that said ‘We need help’,” she said.

She said the charity had done its best to warn volunteers about the shocking scenes they would be walking into.

“I don’t think you could be fully prepared,” said Summer.

“As soon as we got off the ferry, everywhere you looked, left and right, was some sort of devastation.

“Houses were crushed, schools were crushed, everything had fallen to the ground and it was really shocking.”

Aid and medicines had got through to the island before her arrival.

“Three weeks later it was a really bad situation,” said Summer.

“We saw families out on the street desperate for help.

“We saw people pretty much homeless. They spoke to us and they were grateful.

“They said it was a horrific thing and they weren’t prepared because their houses were quite flimsy.”

“The bigger projects are going to take a long time but in the meantime the more important project was making sure everybody had some water, food and some form of shelter,” she added.

Anyone interested in helping Summer’s fundraising for the Philippines can visit her donation page, which can be found at www.justgiving.com/summer-typhoonhaiyan.