Guiding lights have jetted out to Romania on a mission to help youngsters less lucky than themselves.

A troupe of 17 young people from the 4th Shipley Girl Guides and Rangers teamed up with Shipley and Bingley-based charity Jubilee Outreach Yorkshire to "do their duty" and help others.

The girls flew out from Manchester to Budapest in Hungary on Saturday before travelling the rest of the way to Romania by train. They will be spending nine days in Tigru Mures running craft and sporting events for orphans, village children and adults with physical and learning disabilities.

One of the troupe leaders Carol Bradshaw of 4th Shipley Girl Guides and Rangers said: "This idea has been a kernel for such a long time we can hardly believe the time is finally here.

"Travelling to Romania is a fantastic opportunity to help those in need and we hope we can make a difference to these people's lives."

She said the girls would be leading lots of activities from making hanging mobiles from CD's to making friendship bracelets and even having a laugh juggling balloons and flour balls to try and brighten up the lives of poverty-stricken Romanians.

They will also be playing cricket, football and skittles as well as having fun with a giant parachute and a music box full of percussion instruments.

To make room for all the fun and games, the generous troupe gave up their own luggage space but flight company Jet2.com came to the rescue and waived excess baggage so they could take their own packing too.

The girls, aged 16 to 18 and who regularly meet at Hall Royd Methodist Church in Shipley, have funded the trip themselves and have been buying pens, paper, paint and other equipment to donate.

The link was made with Jubilee Outreach Yorkshire (JOY) after the rangers took part several times in shoe box appeals run by the charity.

JOY invited the youngsters to Romania after they became interested about where the donated items were sent.

JOY co-ordinator Kathy Tedd said the Shipley girls' visit would be a tremendous boost.

"The little children the girls will be working with in our orphanages and some of the villages will be tremendously excited and for the disabled young people who are a bit older than the girls themselves, it will be enormously encouraging. Until the 1990s children with disabilities were non-people and locked away. For them to think people are travelling all the way from England especially to play and work with them it will be incredible."

Donations are always welcome by JOY, just 15p will feed one child a meal.

To find out more about JOY, telephone Mrs Tedd on (01274) 531999.