A FIREFIGHTER who helped save lives when earthquakes caused massive destruction in Turkey is on another mercy mission to the people of Mozambique.

Leading firefighter Ged Richmond (pictured) from Burnley flew out in an RAF plane with three Preston firemen and RNLI crews to help the victims of the torrential floods a week ago.

Ged, who is based at Euxton training centre, Chorley, helped rescue efforts in November after the Turkey earthquake buried thousands alive.

The firefighters are now in the remote Beira area in the north of the African country and managed to make contact with their Lancashire bosses for the first time yesterday.

Lancashire Fire Service press officer John Taylor said the isolated region was beyond the reach of mobile phones.

Telephone wires, bridges and roads have been swept away by the floods.

The area is too far from re-fuelling stations to be reached by helicopter so the fire crews are working using the RNLI's inflatable dinghies.

Mr Taylor said: "The main problem is transport and the crews are working to bring medicines, fuel and food to the people."

Big-hearted Lancashire Evening Telegraph readers have already raised more than £13,000 to help young victims of the floods since our newspaper joined forces with aid agency UNICEF.

The charity's field staff in Mozambique say around 180,000 children under the age of five are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

More than 40,000 children have been forced to leave their home areas in search of safety.

If you want to donate money to help UNICEF's work in Mozambique, ring 0345 312312 to make a card donation. To request a fundraising pack, contact Kim on 0161 483 2147.

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