THREE theatre nurses have spoken of their experiences of helping people in some of the most deprived areas of the world as part of a campaign to encourage more recruits.

Sister Jackie Furlong, 38, of Darwen, staff nurse Kath Taylor, 32, of Burnley, and staff nurse Sally Clayton, 28, of Colne, will be demonstrating their skills at a theatre open day at Burnley General Hospital on June 17 but they chose to highlight that there is more to theatre nursing than people believe.

Sally, who has worked in theatre for six years, took part in a three-week expedition to Nepal last November, as part of a team of 45 people.

She said: "We went to areas where there were existing charities already working because we were aware that we only had three weeks.

"I took part in an education community project in Nepalgunj which involved a primary school in a really poor slum area.

"It was quite shocking to the men who were there that six western women arrived to help when they treat women as second class citizens.

"I felt we were very much a hindrance. They were very curious and just stood staring at us.

"They had some toilets in the school but the teachers wouldn't let the children use them because they are of a high caste and the children are classed as lower caste so they were having to use the street.

"It appalled me. So we had some toilets built for the children and then we had to start teaching them about hygiene." "It was all about pulling together and team work."

Jackie, who has worked in theatre for 18 years, has visited India three times in the last seven years, helping to set up and develop a medical theatre unit.

She helped train staff at the methodist mission hospital which had no electricity, no toilets and in which nurses and doctors had to operate by torch light.

She said: "It was very traumatic and you don't realise what it's like there until you see it for yourself.

"I saw three dead babies in the first few days and it was really stressful.

"I still send supplies of swabs and gloves when I can and I stay in touch and I'm hoping to go back again maybe next year."

Kath has worked in theatre for four years after spending four years on the wards.

She raised enough money to spend time in a leprosy hospital in Guyana three years ago, where she took part in distributing supplies to leprosy patients in the hospital and the community.

Both Kath and Sally received help from the Burnley Health Trust's Robert Jackson Fellowship for the trips, to help them develop their skills and experiences. Kath said: "The hospital was on stilts and the walkways between the buildings were falling apart so we removed one of them.

"One group built an adventure playground for the orphanage and they were really motivated once we started doing something.

"The women were treated as second class citizens and the men tended to work as security guards there was so much crime.

"It was awful but it was good to know we made a difference."

The theatre at Burnley General Hospital will be open to the public from 10am till noon on June 17.

Staff from various specialist areas will be available, including infection control nurses, acute pain nurses and personnel, and information will be available for the recruitment of nurses.