AN Oswaldtwistle relief worker who flew out to Jamaica to help people on the hurricane-hit island has spoken of the utter devastation it has caused.

Speaking from the Caribbean island, Elaine Partridge, told how wave surges from the sea were still engulfing coastal towns even though Hurricane Ivan is now heading towards Florida's Gulf Coast.

Elaine, 43, of Haslingden Old Road, is in the south west town of Negril.

Talking to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph on her mobile phone, she said: "Since the hurricane hit last Friday there have been no toilets, no water, no electricity and there are waves washing over the roads.

"There are roofs ripped of the buildings and many wooden houses have just disappeared.

"The place smells really bad and to wash you have to take a bucket and try and find a swimming pool somewhere and use some of the water from that.

"There is no water in any of the supermarkets and hardly any food.

"People are eating and drinking anything they can lay there hands on -- hygiene has gone right out of the window.

"There is no electricity and so there is no news on radio or TV, people think another storm might be on the way.

"The sea around here is usually turquoise but today it is black and the waves are rolling in.

"The buses and taxi drivers are scared to leave the town because there is a lot of water about and you can't see the roads in some places."

Elaine is staying in the Caribbean until Christmas and will travel on to the Bahamas before returning home.

Across the Caribbean Hurricane Ivan has killed around 60 people.

Elaine first decided to help the people of Jamaica after returning from holiday there in February.

She was so appalled by the conditions in the island's hospitals, and the poverty of children, she started to raise money for them.

She has made regular trips back to the island since, taking with her clothes, toys and money.

Elaine is still appealing for people to donate clothing, saleable items, such as DVDs and videos so that she can raise more money for the devastated population.