Cheque a sight for sore eyes.

A CHARITY helped raise more than pounds 20,000 to fund cleft lip and eye cataract operations in Pakistan.

The Mayor of Walsall, Coun Tom Ansell, attended a cheque presentation where Coun Ian Robertson, chairman of the Oak Tree Trust, Dr Gatrad and Gul Khan handed over the money to the Midland International Aid Trust (UK), which is a Walsallbased international charity.

The cheque was presented to trust chairman Mohammed Aslam, who recently returned from another mission to Pakistan where he helped to supervise and fund similar operations performed by volunteer surgeons.

Coun Ansell said: "This money was raised thanks to the generosity of the people of Walsall and it is going to a really good cause.

"I congratulate everyone for their efforts in achieving such a huge amount of money."

Mr Khan, legal adviser to the trust, said: "Each cataract operation performed without charge to the patient or payment to the volunteer surgeon costs pounds 20 per case.

"This restores the ability of the patient to earn a living and the ability to see, perhaps the most precious of our senses.

"These patients are most grateful to the Walsall people donating funds to help them to reclaim their lives."