A CHILDCARE lecturer is jetting off to Romanian to help orphaned, poor and sick children enjoy their summer holidays.

Lynne Gregson, programme coordinator of childcare education at Preston College, is taking seven students to Zomostea, in the North East of Romania this Saturday.

They will join more than 50 volunteers from across the globe to entertain the children, aged between two and 16, with outdoor games and creative activities during the two week Romanian Challenge Camp.

The youngsters will come from orphanages, deprived areas and hospitals in the Eastern European country to the camp, set up 14 years ago, which for many is a break from a prison-like existence.

It was student Louise Walker that inspired Mrs Gregson, of Dovedale Close, Ingol, to take part.

She said: "Louise had been out there last year and I wanted her to tell the rest of the class about her experiences.

"A lot of the others were interested and said they wanted to go and I wanted to do something about it."

The students had sponsored fancy dress days and other events to raise the £700 each they needed for their fares.

The 47-year-old, who has two grown up children, Mark and Catherine, is looking forward to the challenge.

"I have never done anything like this before and I do believe it will be very emotional and heart wrenching," she said.

"But I'm really looking forward to it and I'll probably be wanting to go back. It will be an unforgettable experience."

Mrs Gregson, who has worked in childcare for more than 25 years, continued: "It's already difficult to think about coming back.

"The children will be very poor or ill, and it will be hard thinking that I will be leaving them behind when I'm coming back to such a developed country. It will break my heart.

"But I think it's better to give two weeks than never to go at all and my family are really proud of me."