A WOMAN has turned her four-bedroomed semi into a dormitory to house 20 children and teenagers from Africa.

Kath Brotton has squeezed the 15 boys and five girls, from the slums of Kampala, into her modest-sized east Cleveland home, to support her son's work in Uganda.

Neighbours in Howard Drive, Marske, and friends have all helped in the massive undertaking to house the youngsters, who are either orphans who were found on the streets, or whose mainly single parents are too poor to send them to school.

Kath first got involved with the Ugandan youngsters after her son, Chris, 29, moved to Africa in 2002 to join his fiancee, Sarah Burnett, 27, a missionary who was living in Uganda with her six-year-old daughter, Abigail.

Sarah decided to devote her life to helping youngsters from the slums after a visit to Uganda to meet a child she had sponsored.

Months later she had helped to set up the New Beginnings charity, which makes it possible for 54 children to get an education at a boarding school in the city and ensure they have all the books, clothing and medication they need until they finish university.

Kath, a hairdresser in Redcar, went out to Kampala in April with her husband Geoff, to visit her son.

She said: "These children just took over our hearts. The poverty over there just stuns you.

"They come from exceptionally poor backgrounds and they have all got sad stories to tell."

The children, whose headteacher and music teacher are staying with Kath's neighbour, have performed songs, dance and drama about their former lives in Uganda at a number of schools throughout east Cleveland and Teesside.

Kath, who has given a free haircut to all the children, who are staying with her for ten days, said: "It has been chaos, but people have been really kind.

"It has been hard work, cooking 100 sausages at a time with rice or pasta all at once.

"But considering we have 20 here, they are very well behaved."

A coach company from Portsmouth has provided the youngsters, who arrived in Scotland in the middle of June, with a coach and a driver for their nine-week stay. They will also stay in Portsmouth.

Anyone wanting to help sponsor a child through their education, which costs £30 a month, should call Ms Brotton on (01642) 484967.

The children, who hope to find people to sponsor their brothers and sisters and other family members, are:

* Brothers Karuhanga Godfrey, 12, and Emmanuel Twine, 14, and their cousin, Patience Tumuhairwe, 13, who come from a poor family, and live in a shack the size of a bathroom.

* Francis Asissi, 13, and his brother, Paul Masaba, 12, who live in a one-room home with their mother and sister.

* Ssebagereka Fred, 12, and Amaze Job, 13, two friends who lived on the streets and survived by eating rubbish from bins. They met Sarah when she held a children's church service under a mango tree.

* Kimera Abraham, 14, who was found by sponsored children digging a toilet pit to raise money for his impoverished mother.

* Nanyunga Fatina, 11, and her brothers Ssegawa Bashiri, 12, and Mugerwa Baker, 13, who live with their father during the holidays after their mother died in April.

* Maria Nalweyiso Gorret, 13, who only has his brother to support him.

* Samula Shafiki, 12, who only has an aunt to live with.

* Nanyanzi Fiona, 12, who lives with an aunt.

* Pastor Bunjo Julius, 15, who lives with his mother in the holidays.

* Mudu David, 13, who lives with his father in the holidays.

* Amanyire Bernard, 14, who lives with his father in the holidays.

* Akello Rachel, 12, who lives with her mother.

* Kyakuwa Julius, 14, who has both parents, but his father works in the army, where the pay is notoriously low.

* Kiwunuka Yusif, 12, who lives with his mother during school holidays