A COUPLE have just returned from a mercy mission to Romania to help street children but this time they have brought home a ray of hope.

Vic Brown, a lecturer in IT at Accrington and Rossendale College, and his wife, Diana, went to the former Communist country for nine days spending four days in Bucharest and the remaining time in Constanta.

Vic, 53, of Crawshaw Drive, Reedsholme, Rawtenstall, has been to the country four times and is making a film on how street children cope.

When he visited in April he brought back harrowing pictures and even more shocking stories of girls aged 14 offering themselves as prostitutes for less than £2.50.

He pictured children being arrested for being photographed and accepting food offered to them by Vic.

But this visit was different. In Bucharest he visited a Texan couple, Ron and Sue Bates, who run a care home for 50 girls aged eight upwards, many of whom have young children from their days as prostitutes.

Vic said: "We took them some soaps and soft toys from Christ Church in Bacup. The next day there was a very sweet smell after they had bathed with the soap.

"We visited Romi gypsy families, who are considered statusless in the country, and we gave them £560 from Sion Baptist Church in Cloughfold."

Meanwhile, the fund-raising continues and Vic is willing to give talks to any organisation on his trips. He can be contacted on 01706 226533.