Pike River fund raised more than $7 million

The Pike River Disaster Relief Trust says it's astounded by the level of support it's had since November's Pike River mine disaster.

Chairman and Greymouth mayor Tony Kokshoorn said today the trust has had more than 20,000 individual donations totalling more than $7 million.

Some of the donations had been tagged for a specific purpose - memorial or payments to redundant workers - but about $6.5m had been given to provide financial help to the families of the 29 victims.

Mr Kokshoorn added that since an initial distribution just before Christmas the trust had focused on developing the best way to distribute the remaining money to the families.

He expected a decision next week and then the trust would distribute funds into individual family trusts.

The families would have discretion on beneficiaries but the trust would insist on family trust deeds protecting the interests of dependents of the mine victims where relevant.

- NZPA