THOUSANDS of deprived Tanzanian villagers have been handed a vital lifeline by a local fundraising group.

Members of Rainhill Rotary Club pulled together to raise £3,000 to buy an ambulance, which could help to save countless lives, after pals Nick Rushbrooke and Paul Worrall visited the capital Dodoma last October.

It is understood that the ambulance, which previously operated in the Scottish Highlands and comes equipped with medicine, oxygen and blankets, will ferry sick or injured villagers from rural areas to the main hospital in Dodoma.

Nick Rushbrooke said: "Our visit to Tanzania was a really humbling and uplifting experience. The Tanzanian people have such a wonderful nature - they always seem to have a smile on their faces."

In Tanzania, necessities such as food and clean water cannot be taken for granted. Many villagers travel for hours to fetch water, and even then it is often dirty, stagnant and infested with diseases such as cholera and river blindness.

But Rotary funds have also already helped to build seven wells in the region, which now supply clean water to more than 7,000 people.

The ambulance left Rainhill and was shipped 8,000 miles to the city of Dar es Salaam before being driven the final 350 miles to Dodoma.

In a heart-warming joint initiative, Dodoma Rotarians paid the £2,500 shipment cost for the ambulance and are now working to ensure that they make the best use of their new facility.

Nick Rushbrooke added: "When we were in Tanzania one village elder told us 'We don't have much but we are grateful for what we have and we are happy'. I think we could all learn from their philosophy."

l For more information about the work of Rainhill Rotary Club you can visit their website at: rainhillrc.freeserve.co.uk