A COUPLE of kind-hearted Worcester Red Cross workers who were due to jet out to Syria on a project representing the organisation nationally have had to postpone their trip due to the escalating crisis in neighbouring Lebanon.

The charity's Worcestershire area fund-raising manager Victoria Anstey and also the lead volunteer on its fire emergency support service James Smith - both based at its county headquarters off Worcester's London Road - were due to head out to the country intending to take part in the organisation's Arab Youth Camp.

Workers from across the organisation nationally were invited to apply to take part in the project last month and both Victoria and James were chosen, after visiting its national offices in London as part of the selection process.

However, as Israel began its military offensive in Lebanon against Hezbollah targets, the international committee of the organisation decided the situation was too dangerous and pulled the plug on the project.

The Arab Youth Camp would have involved Victoria and James joining an international group of Red Cross workers to learn how the nation organises its emergency response in the event of a disaster such as an earthquake and the social problems they have.

Twenty-six-year-old Victoria -- who studied Arabic while at university in Edinburgh - said she hoped the project might be able to go ahead further on in the year. Victoria said: "I was absolutely devastated when I heard we couldn't go but the Red Cross has been absolutely fantastic in hopefully organising it for a bit later on in the year so, fingers crossed, when there's no immediate threat we'll be able to go out."

The duo were due to stay in Baniyas on the west coast of Syria and were also set to explore other areas of work in Syria such as projects related to HIV and also re-uniting people who have been split up by conflicts.

Twenty-five-year-old James said: "It was certainly disappointing because it would have been a remarkable opportunity to go out there but at the same time I think we trusted the decisions of the people who are on the ground there.

"It came down to safety in the end."

Meanwhile, the Red Cross is working tirelessly across borders to help those affected by the crisis in the Middle East and is appealing to people to donate to their work.

People can give via the Worcestershire Red Cross on 01905 351212, email vansyet @redcross.org.uk or log on to: www.redcross. org.uk