A WARRINGTON optician has just returned from a poverty stricken part of the globe as part of an aid mission to help deliver the gift of sight.

Steven Adcott, aged 50, of Warrington Specsavers, visited Malawi as part of a trip organised by Vision Aid, a charity which serves the visually disadvantaged in under served areas.

Joined by five other sight specialists, Steven held 10 clinics in the East African country, which helped more than 1,400 people with their sight.

Covering 2,000km in two weeks, Steven worked to help alleviate sight problems for the local people with life changing results.

The team was particularly moved by the story of Helen, a 15-year-old Malawi girl whose sight was extremely poor and had started affecting her ability to study.

After testing her eyesight, Steven presented Helen with a pair of spectacles, which will allow her to continue her studies.

Helen's glasses were just one of 1,250 unwanted pairs donated to the charity by the British public which were distributed during the trip.

Steven said: "It is miraculous that we are able to find spectacles even for people with the most serious problems.

"Helen couldn't see clearly beyond a few inches, yet with a pair of our glasses she has been given a new lease of life.

"Vision Aid Overseas is a small but effective charity which relies on volunteers contributing to costs of their trip.

"By making these trips we hope to spread the word about the valuable work they do and we're sure that the fortnight we spent in Malawi has made a huge difference."