YOUNG Sarah Norris was so upset at the sight of homeless people in Manchester she decided to do something to help.

Eight-year-old Sarah, a pupil at Water CP School in Rossendale, said: "I had been to Manchester with my family.

"As we were driving back in the car, I couldn't stop thinking about what I had seen."

She asked her dad, the Rev Philip Norris, Edgeside Baptist minister, what she could do. He suggested she talk to the youth deacon.

Sarah rang deacon Chris Ingham to arrange a meeting. Then, with help from the Sunday School superintendent, she announced her intention to collect items for the homeless at a Sunday service.

Soon a variety of goods - toothpaste, clothing, toiletries, razors and personal items - started to flood in.

Contact was then made with a Manchester church and the goods were distributed.

Sarah also took the idea to school and a jumble sale helped raised £100.

Mr Norris said: "I am very proud of Sarah. She decided she wanted to do something and she did it.

"We are now having a regular collection once a month and it is all thanks to Sarah's initiative."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.