OAP's tsunami gift is a real gem

Expert Alistir Tait has assessed the pensioner's heirlooms

A Fife pensioner is hoping to raise £700 by selling off her treasure trove of Sri Lankan gems in aid of a tsunami disaster appeal fund.

The heirlooms - which the anonymous OAP from Culross has owned for 60 years - were given to her by a relative on the island when it was called Ceylon.

The pensioner, in her 80s, has rubies and sapphires among the collection of precious and semi-precious stones.

Meanwhile, four top Scottish chefs are planning a gala dinner to raise funds.

The Serious Food event has been organised by Colin Clydesdale from Glasgow's Stravaigin restaurant, who hopes to raise £100,000.

He came up with the idea after friend Neil Butler was caught up in the tragedy while on holiday in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, with his family.

Since she has had the stones for 60 years and they are a family heirloom it must be quite a wrench for her to part with them Alistir Tait Jeweller

"As Neil and I talked more about the disaster, it became clear that the best way for me to contribute would be to use my skills as a chef and my contacts in the restaurant business to arrange a charity event," he said.

Celebrity chef Nick Nairn and Michelin star chefs Martin Wishart and Andrew Fairlie will help him prepare a meal for 300 people in Glasgow on 1 February.

All the proceeds will go to the Hikkaduwa Area Relief Fund, which was set up in Glasgow support the rebuilding of the area.

The sale of the Fife pensioner's gems will also go towards the appeal.

Expert Alistir Tait said some of the stones were quite valuable.

Generous gesture

"It is a lovely gesture by this elderly woman. Since she has had the stones for 60 years and they are a family heirloom it must be quite a wrench for her to part with them," he said.

"That makes the gesture even more generous and shows how deeply this tragedy has touched so many ordinary people like this old lady."

The Edinburgh jeweller added: "These stones would have been produced when Sri Lanka was still known as Ceylon and after the years of joy they have given this woman, she thought this was the right time to put something back

"Some of the stones are quite valuable while others are not. But they are all very pretty."

The Disasters Emergency Committee in Scotland now estimates that its appeal will raise £20m north of the border.

Meanwhile, Glasgow's Islamic community has donated two separate cheques totalling £75,000 to aid the relief effort.

The money was raised throughout the Muslim community in Glasgow and the west of Scotland, much of it coming from the business sector.