THE former vicar of Christ Church, Blackburn, and his wife have started a new life together helping the victims of a bloody civil war.

The Rev Stuart Broughton and his wife Kathryn are now missionaries based in the Kasai area in the north of the troubled Republic of Congo.

Mr Broughton, 64, and Kathryn, 63, who have four children, travelled out in November last year as part of a three-year project to establish a church community.

They will now have to adapt to living without banks, a postal service, landline telephones, toilets and running water. The area has a lack of schools and medical facilities plus travel difficulties and a limited supply of electricity.

And although the villagers speak French, the couple will also have to learn the local language.

The Broughtons are volunteers with the Church Mission Society and in the past had done missionary work in South America, Cyprus and Portugal.

They retired to Jersey three years ago and it was through the people of the island that they became aware of this latest project, being funded through an initiative by the Dean of Jersey.

Mr Broughton, who was a vicar in Blackburn about 20 years ago, agreed to come out of retirement to support the project.

The couple will be supporting maimed and orphaned children, the victims of years of violent conflicts.

Jean Rodger, Blackburn Diocesan Mission Partners Secretary, said: "Both Mr Broughton and his wife made a decision to get involved in this particular project because of the situation in the country.

"The area where they are living is very primitive. They have no phones to communicate with and they live in a very primitive shack."

"They are trying to set up a church and help the people as much as they can."

Extra financial support for the programme would be welcome. For further information, contact Jean on 01254 385731.