NEARLY a third of people from Yorkshire and Humberside would prefer to donate money to charities if 100% went directly to the cause.

That's the conclusion of research by Lions Clubs International.

The study shows the public is calling for charities to become more efficient with their administration costs, so more money reaches the cause it's intended for.

John Goodchild, chairman of Lions Clubs International, British Isles and Ireland, said: "People are sceptical as to whether every penny they donate actually reaches the intended cause."

The research was carried out to mark the start of Lions Awareness Week.

It also found that more than a quarter of respondents were more likely to help a charity closer to home than abroad.

More than half of all respondents from the Yorkshire and Humber region said they already supported events in their local communities.