Save the Children is facing a race against time to reach hundreds of thousands of children left homeless by the earthquake.

Our efforts to deliver emergency supplies to earthquake-hit Pakistan have been helped by a generous offer of free air transport from Virgin Atlantic Airways, who are donating a flight to Save the Children next week.

The airline is donating the use of a Boeing 747 aircraft, with a cargo capacity of 55 tonnes, which will fly from London Gatwick to Islamabad on Monday evening. The plane will be filled with tents, tarpaulins and plastic sheeting to provide vital shelter to the many thousands of people left homeless by the earthquake on 8 October.

Ken Caldwell, Save the Children’s Director of International Operations, said: "We are extremely grateful to everyone at Virgin Atlantic for this amazing offer. Our partnership with Virgin will enable us to really make a difference to the lives of hundreds of children and their families facing the onslaught of a harsh Himalayan winter."

Sir Richard Branson, Chairman of Virgin Atlantic, said: "Everybody who works for Virgin Atlantic has been shocked and saddened to see the devastation in Pakistan caused by the recent earthquake. This terrible tragedy has left thousands of families without shelter with a harsh winter fast approaching. With stocks of tents, blankets and other essential supplies now exhausted in Pakistan Save The Children and the aid agencies have no choice but to fly these supplies in. We hope the British public and other British companies will continue to support the relief effort to avert a loss of life greater than the original earthquake."

Snow has begun falling in some of the earthquake-effected villages and overnight temperatures are dropping below freezing. Time is running out for many children in remote hillside villages, who continue to be at risk of exposure and disease.

Toby Porter, Director of Emergencies,said: "More than two weeks on since the earthquake, children in remote areas of the earthquake affected region are still without essential emergency assistance. There is an urgent need for the international community to step up its response. With every day the risk of children succumbing to exposure and infected wounds grows."