ALMOST 500 pairs of spectacles are to be distributed to the poor and needy in India thanks to the kindness and support of people in Darlington.

The spectacles will be delivered to a health centre at the Arun Vihar Community Centre, near the Indian capital, Delhi, after a successful appeal organised and run by the Darlington Residents' Panel.

The health centre was set up after Harbhajan "Harry" Singh spotted a poster advertising the Darlington Council for Voluntary Service and Volunteer Bureau, while he was paying a visit to his son, Harienda, in Darlington three years ago.

He was intrigued about the work that was being done by the Darlington Council for Voluntary Service, so Mr Singh, who is a former Indian Army colonel, paid a visit to the organisation.

He was so impressed by the operation that he decided to set up the health centre, which is run entirely by voluntary helpers, when he returned to India.

It offers a range of treatments for minimal charges.

The residents' panel, which has its offices at the Council for Voluntary Service's Church Row Resource Centre, has collected 180 pairs of spectacles for Mr Singh to take back to India.

An additional 300 pairs of spectacles will be sent on later.

Because lenses are inexpensive in India, only the frames will be sent out to reduce weight. The remaining lenses will be repackaged and sent elsewhere.

"This is my third summer visit to CVS and I will be back again next year, although I think I will need a suitcase just for the frames," said Mr Singh

Helen Crute, office manager at CVS, said: "We all look forward to Harry's visits, his photographs of the clinics make us feel really connected to the project."