Press Association news : Gordon Brown has pledged that Britain will do everything possible to ease suffering in disaster-hit Burma, as the death toll continued to rise.

At least 22,000 people are believed to have been killed in the devastation wreaked by a massive cyclone.

Speaking at a summit of business leaders in central London, the Prime Minister said: “I believe nearly a million people are now in need of food aid and we will have to help the families of those where people have died.

“I want to pledge on behalf of the British Government that we will work with the whole international community to make sure that food aid is available to the people of Burma.”

Cyclone Nargis smashed into Burma on Saturday, bringing winds of up to 120mph. More deaths were caused by a resulting 12-foot wave than the cyclone itself, according to the Burmese authorities.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said the organisation would do “whatever (possible) to provide urgent humanitarian assistance”.

Despite initial concerns from the international community, the state’s secretive ruling junta has agreed to accept aid – although there are still questions over how much access foreign teams will be allowed.

The Department for International Development later announced that it was providing £5 million in immediate aid for Burma, which will be channelled through the UN and charities.

An emergency field team will also be deployed to the country imminently, a spokesman said.