TWO Burnley great-grandmothers who have been moved to tears by the horrifying pictures from Kosovo are organising an aid collection.

Rose Halsted, 85, of Hollingreave Road, and Lily Wearing, 69, of Coal Clough Lane, became friends when they were fighting the campaign to keep the Burnley social services home for the elderly Whiteacres open where their brothers were residents.

On seeing the harrowing pictures of desperate babies, children and families fleeing their Yugoslav homeland, the pensioners have now turned their attention to helping overseas.

Lily said: "I cried buckets when I saw the faces of those young children. It reminded me of the Jews in the Second World War and what happened to them.

"But it is no good just feeling sorry, you have to act. I wasn't prepared to let it go and so with Rose I have started a campaign to collect items to send to Kosovo." The great-grandmothers contacted local councillor Gordon Birtwistle to find out what to do with the bags of aid.

He said: "I have told them to get in touch with the Council for Voluntary Service where they have a collection point.

"I was more than happy to help them because they are doing an excellent job collecting clothes and goods to send to the refugees."

Rose said: "I think it is absolutely disgusting what it going on over there and we felt we had to do something to help."

Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Council for Voluntary Service is opening its new centre, the former North West Water building in Yorkshire Street, from 10.30am to 2.30pm tomorrow for people to deliver aid to be sent to the refugees.

Aid workers have asked for: shoes, socks and underwear for men women and children, blankets, dried food such as pasta , flour or rice, disposable nappies and toilet rolls.

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