A WESTHOUGHTON backpacker is in Nepal helping villagers whose lives were devastated by two massive earthquakes.

Rebecca May, aged 32, had only been in the country a week when the first devastating earthquake hit three weeks ago.

She was staying in Pokara after a five day mountain trek and was planning to head back to Kathmandu to retrieve her belongings the next day.

Rather than returning back to Bolton, Rebecca decided to stay in Nepal and join with other travellers who have volunteered to take supplies to villagers.

She is due to return home on 25 May but her sister, Rachel May, says she wouldn’t be surprised if Rebecca extended her stay longer to help with the cause.

Rachel, aged 33, said: “I am really proud of her, I would have loved to have been there with her too.

“My mum would rather her come home so she knows she is safe but I think it is a good thing she is out there.”

While she has been helping in Nepal, Rebecca has also been involved in ‘Kiddies Corner’, where the group have organised activities for the children in Nepal, some who have lost their parents.

Rebecca contacted her family on Saturday 25 April to tell them about the earthquake and to reassure them she was safe before it had been mentioned on the news.

Rachel managed to hear from Rebecca directly when she FaceTimed her later in the afternoon.

Rebecca told her sister how the hostel she was in had shook in the earthquake.

“While we were FaceTiming someone tapped her on her shoulder saying another earthquake had been predicted.

“She had to go back inside quick to grab her bag of belongings – I was thinking ‘what’s happening?’ when she had to go.”

Following Tuesday’s earthquake Rebecca was unable to contact her family to inform them of her safety due to a lack of phone signal.

Luckily, the volunteers Rebecca is with have set up a Facebook page to document their efforts with the crisis and informed families and friends through that of their safety.

Rachel said: “We had no contact on Tuesday, but she had told us before that she would have no signal.

“It was a relief when we heard from the group on Facebook.”

Rebecca, who was made redundant from BT before Christmas, has always wanted to travel and took the opportunity in January to begin her trek.

So far she has been to New Zealand and Asia, and will journey to India once she leaves Nepal.

To follow the efforts of Rebecca and the other volunteers she is with, go to the Active Hearts Himalaya page on Facebook.