A PRESTON woman, who went to Guatemala for a year to teach orphans, but fell in love and emigrated, wants help from her old town.

Joanne Singleton de Carranza, 30, and her husband Victor Hugo, 42, live in El Naranjo, a village in an area of the South American rainforest called Petin.

Together they run a school for impoverished children from families who are striving to escape the shanty village.

But with little money and few resources, the couple are struggling to keep the school going.

So, through Joanne's parents, Claire and James Singleton, who live in Cage Lane, Whitestake, they have appealed for people to donate recorders so the children can be taught music.

Joanne who played violin in the Lancashire Youth Orchestra in her old life, would like to pass on her musical knowledge .

She went out to the South American country when she completed a masters at Birmingham University in German in 1995.

Claire said her daughter wanted to give something back after hearing about the orphan's plight. Joanne worked in an orphanage at El Naranjo but returned to Preston a year later to raise money for the children.

Once that task was completed she went back in 1997 and found the orphanage had relocated to a city.

But she fell in love with Victor Hugo de Carranza, who was the orphanage's headmaster.

He decided to stay in El Naranjo with Joanne, rather than take up a job offer to move with the orphanage, and then they set up the school. They married in 1997.

"The wedding was most unusual, in a place called Antigua in Guatemala," said Claire. "It was different, but we love the country.

"It's beautiful but the people are exceptionally poor. They suffered 30 years of civil war until 1996.

"Joanne teaches children all sorts, but loves music and used to play the recorder. She has always been a caring person. We want as many recorders as possible."

Claire and James are set to go over to Guatemala in November with the recorders. Anyone wishing to make a donation should call them on 01772 616349.