VOLUNTEERS who annually help poverty-stricken communities in The Gambia have had what could be their final trip to the country cancelled.

Darwen Spartans Junior Football Club joined forces with charity Football Gambia seven years ago to work on projects that would improve locals’ quality of life.

Projects included building schools, solar-powered floodlights, showers and hospitals.

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This year Darwen Spartans planned a trip without the charity’s involvement but political unrest in the country has meant flight operator Thomas Cook has cancelled flights.

Darwen was twinned with the town of Lamin and the group were planning to deliver sports equipment and other essential supplies and were due to fly out tomorrow.

Club president Mark Atkinson, who was organising the trip, said he was disappointed as they may not get the chance to go again.

He said: “It takes 12 months to organise a trip like this, as soon as you are back from one you have to start planning the next one.

“Obviously we are gutted because there were people coming that hadn’t gone before and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I also think it may be the end of the journey, we don’t have any plans to go out there again now.

“What I am most concerned about though is what is going on out there.

“I hope people we know are alright and I do hope it gets resolved.”

Nearly 1,000 holidaymakers on Thomas Cook packages are to be flown home amid the unrest.

Ebrima Jagne, a textile engineer in Burnley, flew into Manchester Airport yesterday.

He had to be comforted by fellow passengers as he explained he had to leave his wife and three-month-old daughter behind.

A 90-day state of emergency has been declared after a political deadlock led to a ‘high’ risk of military intervention and civil disturbance, the Foreign Office said.

Every year the Darwen club runs fundraising events to fund the projects, such as car boot sales and charity walks.

This year 14 parents and players, were due to go over.

Mr Atkinson said: “We hope we have made a difference out there.

“We feel that we have achieved a lot.”

“It’s not easy to do these projects but we hope we have improved their quality of life.”