Sisters who put their culinary skills to good use and held a bake-off and cake sale have raised thousands of pounds for Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar.

Tahmina and Tasnia Nizam of Leytonstone High Road made a joint pledge last month to raise cash for a charity after seeing harrowing images on the news.

After attending an event in Whitechapel the pair met employees from Human Appeal who have people on the ground assisting the refugees.

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The charity is working to help Rohingya Muslims who are fleeing to Bangladesh from violence in the Rakhine state.

Tahmina, 28, said: “We felt there was something we could do and so we made a pledge to start fundraising and held a bake-off which raised £700.

“We also held a coffee morning and have a donate page online so it’s the final push now coming up to Christmas.

“I think it was the extent of how bad the situation was that made us act.

“The refugees are fleeing violence and when they arrive the situation is not any better.

“They don’t have access to medication, food, water and they don’t have a roof over their heads.

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“These people are completely destitute.”

The women have enjoyed help from their family, who hail from Bangladesh, and their grandmother is selling her knitted creations online to raise extra cash.

Tasnia, 26, who works in publishing has won the support of her employers who has agreed to match donations to the online campaign.

So far the pair have raised over £2,000 through various events.

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