A STAGGERING 170,000 stamps have now been collected in a Banbury-wide appeal for charities Oxfam and Leukaemia Care.

Since 2011 volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have led efforts collecting, cutting out and sorting used stamps donated by residents.

In the past year almost 50,000 more stamps have been gathered and the church in Chatsworth Drive now has its sights set firmly on the 200,000 milestone.

Project co-ordinator Des Waddington said: "It is wonderful that the appeal in Banbury has gained further momentum and we now have 170,000 stamps donated.

"Such a simple act of kindness can have a great impact on the lives of those the charities are helping.

"I would like to say a big thank you to all the individuals, schools and businesses in the Banbury area who have contributed to this really worthwhile project."

People can donate stamps to the cause by dropping them off at art shop The Artery in Parsons Street.

Members of the church and friends then process them by cutting excess paper away, separating them into UK or overseas and counting them into batches of 500.

They are then donated to humanitarian charity Oxfam and blood cancer support charity Leukaemia Care to sell on to collectors to fund their endeavours.

The Artery owner Barry Whitehead said: "It's great to see that as word spreads that we are collecting stamps, more and more are being dropped off here at the shop.

"It's recycling at its basic level, helping good causes from something that would normally be thrown away is a good way of supporting charities, even if money is tight."

All varieties of old stamps are being accepted as part of the appeal, with past donors including both avid collectors and families getting rid of Christmas card envelopes.

For more information call The Artery on 01295 275150.