AN eco-friendly Fulwood lady got a lot more than she bargained for on her holiday, when she fell in love with a group of orphaned orang-utans in Borneo.

What should have been ape-erfect two weeks monkeying around in the tropical sun for Anne Brindle on the holiday of a lifetime, became an ecological eye-opener after a trip to an animal sanctuary.

Retired Anne, of Mill Croft in Fulwood, was on holiday with husband Malcolm when she discovered that the rainforest behind her hotel was home to a group of orphaned orang-utans whose plight immediately touched her heart.

Anne said: "After we had visited the forest we ran into a Malaysian man who happened to be a doctor working at a sanctuary for orphaned orang-utans -- the Sepilok Centre. He recommended we visit it and arranged for us to go behind the scenes.

"Then we got to visit a forest where rangers were working with the animals. These orphaned orang-utans have to be taught to eat, climb and even to have fun -- just like human babies. It takes around eight years and is very expensive."

The baby orang-utans become orphaned because of the changing rainforests and, as more of the area is used for logging, the animals starve to death or even abandon their offspring.

Anne said: "I felt very sad because they are 90 per cent the same as us, very sensitive and gentle animals.

"It's not their fault that all this is happening to them and I wanted to let people know what they are going to lose. I believe animals like that should be given the freedom to live as they have for hundreds and thousands of years."

When Anne arrived home in her native Preston, she was determined to do all that she could to help the animals she had seen on holiday, and has now become the North West representative of the Sepilok Association.

Anne explained: "The Sepilok Association is a charity in this country which raises money for the centre in Borneo.

"I am trying to set up a support team in Preston to help with sponsorship and fund-raising."

If you want to help by making a donation, call Anne on 01772 735174.

bhewes@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk