What a bra-vellous way to help African women

The Herringthorpe holidaymaker will travel to Gambia later this year with 46kg of donations - including hundreds of bras.

Val, who makes several trips to the West African country to pass on donated gifts such as sports equipment, clothing and even pencils to schoolchildren, said: “I have been told that if a woman wears a bra it makes them less likely to be sexually attacked.

“Andrew at Abbey Pharmacy in the town centre has collected hundreds of unwanted bras and I will be taking them with me.”

Thanks to a deal with a local craftsman, Val has left a trunk of clothes in storage in Gambia, meaning she can use all her luggage allowance for donations.

Not for the first time, that includes football boots, trainers and baby clothes, but the bras are making their debut.

“I hope they don’t open my luggage at the airport,” said Val. “They won’t know what’s hit them.”