BEANS means a lifeline to starving youngsters - and local bobby Mick Harrison is taking 57 varieties to Romania in a bid to save thousands of deprived infants.

The big-hearted police constable travelled to the stricken country by truck a fortnight ago with a team of 14 officers - taking with them cleaning materials, and food donated by giants Heinz.

He is due to return to his Langho home, near Blackburn, this weekend.

It is PC Harrison's seventh mercy mission to Romania and the HGV Enforcement Officer thinks nothing of driving the 3,000 miles through Belgium, Germany and Austria.

Mick, who is based at Lancashire Police's Hutton headquarters, has been in the force for 30 years, but he only caught the travel bug seven years ago.

He said: "It started when someone at work decided it would be a good idea to take some stuff out there.

"People ask us why we do it, but you just have to go out there and see it before you realise how lucky you really are. It's quite shocking."

The project was saved at the last minute by Standish Van Hire, in Bamber Bridge, who lent them the vehicles.

Mick said: "We'd like to say a big thank you to them because without the vans we would've been struggling.

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