Travellers asked to carry legs to Africa

Once in Africa, the prosthetic limbs are adapted and fitted to amputees by technicians at partnering hospitals

A charity that recycles prosthetic legs is asking travellers to Africa to use some of their baggage allowance to carry equipment.

Tailored luggage bags have been provided by Bristol-based Legs4Africa for volunteers to carry the components when they fly.

Thirty people have come to their aid so far, including Poppy Jacobs who took prosthetic legs to Ghana.

"I was glad to put my spare luggage allowance to brilliant use," she said.

Poppy Jacobs said she would happily take more legs to Africa for the charity

Ms Jacobs picked up the box of legs and feet before she travelled and was given a letter from the Legs4Africa team in Bristol explaining the contents of the box, in case she needed it at customs.

She told the charity where she was staying and they arranged for someone to collect the box from her hotel.

So far enough components to build 114 prosthetic legs have been carried in luggage by volunteers.

Tom Williams, who founded the charity, said: "We're finding that people in the charity sector are mostly contacting us about this. Anyone travelling to Africa is encouraged."

Legs4Africa collects and recycles more than 1,000 prosthetic limbs sourced from UK hospitals and private donors a year.

The prosthetics would otherwise end up in landfill.

Once in Africa, they are adapted and fitted to amputees by technicians at partnering hospitals.