A CARING volunteer and his eight-year-old son have just returned from a mercy mission to Romania - a trip, he says, is becoming increasingly difficult to make.

It was Benjamin Lee's first jaunt to the country which his father, David, of Skye Crescent, Blackburn, has been visiting on a regular basis since 1990.

He is one of the volunteers who take convoys of aid to Moldavia, in Eastern Romania, collected by the Hesketh Bank Christian Fellowship.

Since the fall of Communism, they have sent 300 tons of aid, including food, clothes, vegetable seeds, medical equipment and even sewing machines, but now David says the trips are becoming more problematic.

"When Communism ended, the country was open to everything," David said. "But now the Government is clamping down and asking details like which seeds we are bringing in.

"The people are poor and the country is dropping to bits. They really need the help but it seems that the Government is trying everything to stop the aid getting through." It was the young people of the Church who decided to form links with Romania after seeing the plight of the people there. Volunteers are now working alongside an Evangelical group in the country to build a community centre.

"We need other people and especially Churches to get involved," David added. "We need to inform people about the conditions in the country."

Another convoy is set to leave in spring of next year. Anyone wanting to help, should contact: Peter Whiteside on 01772 812650.

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