CARING police planning a mercy mission to Romania have averted a transport crisis after an eleventh-hour offer of help.

Thirteen Lancashire Constabulary volunteers feared they would have to leave behind 30 tonnes of food, drugs and other aid behind after promises of vehicles for the trip fell through.

But the problem was solved when Bamber Bridge-based Standish Self Drive stepped in with an offer of a minibus, a box wagon and an articulated lorry unit.

The team are now confident their trip, due to leave on April 20, will be a success.

The officers taking part include Sgt Mick Amos and PC Pete Sculfer from Blackburn, Sgt Dave Huxley, Sgt Frank Gregson and PC Steve Berry from Accrington and HQ-based PC Mike Harrison, who lives in Langho.

Mike said: "We were starting to panic at one stage. "We have had vehicles donated from a few firms but a couple of offers fell through and we thought we might have to leave behind 30 tonnes of stuff we had collected.

"Standish Self Drive have bailed us out and we are really grateful."

The officers had already suffered one setback before the vehicle crisis, when thieves stole 180 bags of salt from a warehouse in Leyland.

This will be the seventh and final time the police travel to Hateg in the Carpathian mountains.

They began their annual trip when they saw the plight of the Romanian people on television during the Ceausescu regime and decided they wanted to help.

One of the force knew a doctor in Hateg and it was through him that the trips were arranged.

Aid is distributed to orphanages and hospitals in the region.

Sergeant Frank Gregson of Accrington Police said: "Our aid has been vital to them, but one or two big companies are settling there now and Romania is vastly improving.

"We are making this one last trip and discussing whether to start taking aid convoys to other needy people."

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