A MOTHER who adopted a Chinese girl is off to her daughter's country of birth to visit the charity she established to help other youngsters in the Orient's orphanages.

Jacqui Shurr, 40, of Round Wood, Penwortham, set up the Good Rock charity five years ago -- after adopting Abigail -- to help care for orphaned children.

Now, to celebrate the charity's success, Jacqui and her American husband Jeff, who also have two sons, are hosting a ball later this year to raise funds for the cause.

For the Shurr family it seems like only yesterday since they brought home their bundle of joy from an orphanage in the North Western province, Xin Jiang, China.

On her return to the UK, Jacqui was keen to help the orphans she had left behind, so she established Good Rock to provide education and other opportunities for the youngsters. Programmes set up in Abigail's birth town of Urumqi include milk for the babies and access to play and mobility therapy initiatives to help older children.

Jacqui said: "I love China. It's a magical place for me and we want to empower the people we are working with. We have programmes in more than ten places throughout the province, which involve teen education as well.

Abigail, five, is a pupil at Penwortham County Primary School, Crookings Lane, along with brothers David, eight, and Jonathon, ten.

The formal ball will take place at The Grand hotel in St Annes on November 7. Tickets are £28 including a four course dinner and live jazz. For information call 750316.