A member of an Island church is using all his annual leave in one go to help homeless children in Sierra Leone.

Bob Hackett, of Leysdown Road, will be staying just outside Freetown for four weeks in January.

The 56-year-old is a member of Sheppey Evangelical Church, based in Warden Bay Road, Warden Bay.

The religious group helps to educate more than 2,000 homeless children in the west African nation.

Mr Hackett said: “I will just be going round chatting to the children and seeing if the church can do anything for them.

“It is just something that God told me a few months ago that I have to do. There are different ways He speaks to you.

The father of one added he felt “ a little apprehensive” to be going out there on his own but added he will be welcomed into the home of a local pastor who lives there.

Although this is the first time he has been on such a trip abroad, he has been spreading the word of his church on the streets of Britain for a number of years.

Mr Hackett was allowed to take all his holiday time in one go by his employers, South Eastern Trains.

He said: “Most big companies are pretty good and allow you to take your holiday in one go if you have a good reason.”