OXFAM shops in Worcestershire may have to temporarily close so staff can deal with the overwhelming number of donations being made to the tsunami disaster appeal.

Volunteers at shops in Worcester, Evesham and Malvern are at bursting point coping with the amount of cash and clothes being given to boost the relief effort.

Unless more help can be found soon, some managers are considering shutting up shop for a day or two to sort everything out.

Susan Brooks, manager of the Port Street-based shop in Evesham, has urged local people to give up their spare time to stop this happening.

"We can't move in the shop for clothes and as soon as we start bagging it up, the pile just gets bigger," she said.

"And while this is a good thing, we just don't have the staff to cope with it. At the moment there are just 12 volunteers, and they don't cover the whole week. I need at least double that number.

"Unfortunately, unless this extra help can be found, we may have to look at closing for a while."

Barbara Beard, the manager of the two Worcester Oxfam shops, described how her faith in humanity had been restored by the donations.

"In just four days last week we took £13,725, whereas normally we would just expect £200," she said.

"One man came in with £500, while a little girl donated her pocket money.

"I have not seen anything like this since the original Band Aid appeal. My faith in humanity has been restored."

As well as cash and clothes, Oxfam is also using some of the funds raised from the sale of other goods in its shops to help countries affected by the disaster.

But at the moment, it is people power that is needed.

"We are always on the lookout for volunteers, but even more so now," said Maggie Whitton, deputy manager at the Oxfam shop in Church Street, Malvern.

For more information on volunteering, contact your nearest Oxfam shop.