AN East Lancashire Rotary Club is teaming up with convicted criminals to put the Third World in the frame for their latest spectacular campaign.

The Rotary Club of Rishton and Great Harwood is looking to collect as many pairs of glasses as possible to be recycled and sent to the poorest areas of Africa so people can have proper vision for the first time.

The glasses will be sent to selected prisons in England where inmates have been trained to assess the strength of the lenses, polish them and carry out any necessary repairs.

The completed spectacles will then be shipped to developing countries to be distributed to those in need.

Harry Dean, of the Rotary Club of Great Harwood and Rishton, said: "For some prisoners this is the first positive act of their lives.

"Many people in the developing countries have never seen clearly before and some are practically blind from birth but these glasses can make all the difference.

"Most people in developed countries such as the UK have at least one spare pair of specs lying around in the back of a drawer, never used. These could be vital to someone else -- so we are asking them to have a rummage and let others, less fortunate, make use of them."

Anyone with a spare pair of glasses, regardless of strength, frames, and even quality, can take them to one of several outlets in Great Harwood, including the health centre, Water Street; Top Chemist, Queen Street; Allan's Opticians, Queen Street; and the Senior Citizens' Centre, Church Street. The health centre in High Street, Rishton, and The Centre, School Street will also accept them.

The group has set its sights on this year's campaign being even more successful than previous ones, which brought in hundreds of pairs throughout the area. This latest collection will continue until late June.

The club is also collecting disused mobile phones, used toner and ink jet cartridges from printers and photocopiers to raise funds for the North West Air Ambulance.

To find out more, call Harry Dean on 01254 395272.