A BURNLEY charity worker has rescued tons of school equipment from the tip in a bid to help children in Africa.

Chairs, desks, computers, blackboards and sports goods will mark the 25th shipment overseas for a Burnley charity.

Former councillor Terry Burns, who was also the chairman of Lancashire County Council, launched Furniture for Education Worldwide three years ago and has wasted no time in delivering his promises.

The 51-year-old will soon wave goodbye to another 40ft container full of second-hand equipment from various schools throughout Burnley for pupils in The Gambia.

He said: “When I was overseas I saw children sitting on the floor with no desks during school-time and on my return I heard that the Building Schools for the Future programme was going ahead in Lancashire.

“I enquired about what was happening to all the old equipment from local schools and colleges and I was told it was going to a landfill site and would be destroyed.

“I thought this would be an ideal opportunity to recycle on a different scale.

We have now raised enough money to export another 40ft container overseas which will make it our 25th shipment to schools in need of basic equipment.

“We are all really pleased.”

The charity has sent furniture to schools across Pakistan, Ghana, and Kenya since 2007.

The last shipment was sent to Gujrat in Pakistan and was commissioned by former Education Secretary Ed Balls at a special ceremony in Westminster. Youngsters at Bijilo Lower Basic School in Kombo North Region in The Gambia will receive the equipment in the coming weeks.

To support Terry, who served as a Burnley councillor for more than 20 years, call 07976 611119.