Sir Mo Farah is among those supporting an urgent appeal by charities to help the millions of people who face starvation caused by conflicts and droughts in East Africa.

The Olympic champion has been named as an ambassador for Save the Children, one of 13 UK aid agencies comprising the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). Fellow Christian charities Cafod, Tearfund and World Vision also form part of the appeal. 

The committee's new East Africa Food Crisis Appeal is hoping to bring aid to more than 16 million people in the region that is 'on the brink of starvation and in urgent need of flood, water and medical treatment'.

Sir Mo said he was 'completely devastated' by the crisis. The runner, who spent his early childhood in Somalia, said: 'As a father-of-four, it hurts to see children without food and water, but this is a reality being faced by parents in East Africa right now. The drought is really bad and there are millions of children at risk of starvation. I was born in Somalia and it breaks my heart to hear stories of how families are suffering.'

Funds raised by the DEC appeal will go to those affected in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan, with the Government pledging to match public donations up to £5m.

Around 800,000 children aged up to five in the four countries need treatment for severe, acute malnutrition, according to the committee.

The UN formally declared a famine in parts of South Sudan in February.

Save the Children said that up to 19.5 million people urgently need help.

As well as the famine in South Sudan, in Somalia, 50,000 children are already at risk of death, and across Kenya and Ethiopia, hundreds of thousands of children are dangerously malnourished.

The charity said that the last time famine affected this part of Africa six years ago, a quarter of a million people died – 130,000 of them children.

The International Development Secretary, Priti Patel said: 'Britain has acted without hesitation – UK aid-funded food, water and emergency healthcare is being delivered across East Africa right now, but more support is urgently needed to prevent a catastrophe.

'The international community must now follow Global Britain's lead to save lives and stop the famine before it becomes a stain on our collective conscience. The world cannot afford to wait.'

DEC chief executive Saleh Saeed said: 'We are hearing that families are so desperate for food that they are resorting to eating leaves to survive. This is something no family should have to endure. Unless we act now the number of deaths will drastically increase.'

To donate to the DEC East Africa Crisis Appeal, visit www.dec.org.uk or call 0370 60 60 610.