A CHURCH group is campaigning to raise £50,000 to buy a house for South American street children who touched their hearts.

Volunteers flew to Colombia to see what they could do to improve the children's lives - and hand over Blackburn Rovers kits to the youngsters.

David Kendall, one of four church members on the trip, said he had seen a house on the market while they were there.

Mr Kendall said Christian charity IMC Group's scheme, In Ministry to Children could only house boys because the open plan design of the houses meant they could not be of mixed gender.

He said the new home would mean they could also support the girls in need, with room for up to 18.

The group from Wheatley Lane Methodist Church in Fence - made up of Ian Brons, 52, of Burnley Road, Brierfield; Gordon Ninnis, Burnley Road, Colne; and Damian Judd, 21, who now lives in Northern Ireland - spent 17 days in Colombia, taking with them a full strip of Blackburn Rovers kits as presents for the children.

Mr Kendall, 58, Westwood Road, Burnley, a life-long Blackburn supporter, said: "The reaction from the children was tremendous. They had never had anything like it before."

A spokesman for Blackburn Rovers said: "We are always delighted when we are able to assist and it is doubly pleasing to get the name of our football club spread far and wide." Charity IMC Group found more than 110,000 children in Bogata living on the streets. One of those children is killed every four hours.

Mr Kendall, a legal executive at Pollard Solicitors, Burnley, said: "We want to help them even more and the new house would mean so much. Now that we have been out there, we can see how much they really need it."

The detached house has 14 acres of land with stables and a football pitch, four downstairs rooms and three bedrooms.

Both houses would provide care, education, food and skills, such a joinery and mechanics.

To help, contact IMC Group on 01730 263 158.