ShelterBox, the Helston-based disaster aid charity, has received the first pictures of its aid helping victims of May's devastating Burma cyclone.

The pictures depict hundreds of tents which were erected as part of the international response to Cyclone Nargis.

ShelterBox, a grassroots disaster relief organization set up by UK Rotary members, had struggled to get its boxes into the country due to Burma's initial reluctance to accept aid from the West.

However, about a month ago, Burma's military government relaxed its stance and opened the low-lying Irrawaddy Delta region to foreign aid charities.

Cyclone Nargis, which struck Burma on May 3, has left over 130,000 people dead or missing. It brought winds reaching 120mph.

Mark Pearson, a ShelterBox response team worker, has sent back pictures of the Shelterbox tents in use from Labutta in the Irrawaddy.

Each ShelterBox container provides a tent, blankets, a multi-fuelled stove, a water purification kit, tools and other necessities to help a family of 10 survive for six months. Some containers carried two 10-person tents, doubling the shelter capacity.

"I have been in Labutta Division in the Irrawaddy and I found 'three mile camp' which is home to 5,250 survivors of the Cyclone," said Mr Pearson.

"There are around 700 ShelterBox tents there all arranged perfectly, there is camp security, hospital, clean water, food and schools all run by the government.

"There are no international NGO's present as the government is doing such a good job at it to the point that the UN finished the IDP cluster almost three weeks ago.

"The ShelterBox kit was in a good position above sea level and a cool breeze all day and most importantly shelter from the heavy monsoon downpours which happen most days and night.

"The survivors have set up shops in our tents and all sorts of little industries inside three-mile camp.

"The population was around 40,000 (in the whole of Labutta) at its peak, the families remaining are from the worst hit areas in Labutta and the people I have spoken with their villages were completely wiped out so getting up to Labutta was their only option.

"While I was in Heignyi Island, an Australian team member of Medicine San Frontier told me that there were 300 tents on the island in good shape and he was amazed by the speed of distribution to the most remote areas by ShelterBox."

ShelterBox announced on Monday that it is sending an additional 200 tents, 2,000 mosquito nets, 2,000 tool kits, 600 woodburning stoves, 600 cooking pots, 4000 ground sheets and educational equipment to Burma.

The charity started in 2001 as a modest project by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, England, and quickly garnered support among Rotary clubs worldwide.

To date, ShelterBox has raised £15.5m and delivered aid to 40 countries in response to more than 70 disasters.

Each box costs an estimated £490 to sponsor, and Rotary clubs provide more than half of the charity's funding.