THE family of a little deaf girl who touched the hearts of Inverclyde have today issued a plea to trace the kind couple who helped them.

A campaign to bring six-year-old Bulgarian girl Jennie Miteva to Greenock for treatment was launched almost 30 years ago.

Local couple Billy and Isabel Hamill started Tania's Fund (with the appeal named after Jennie's mum), to pay for her to come to Scotland for medical treatment in the UK.

The generous pair had been moved by Jennie's story after meeting her mum Tania in Bulgaria in 1990.

The Telegraph covered her sad story, revealing that the youngster was staying a state institution deaf school 600 miles from her home on the black sea coast.

Jennie appeared to be totally deaf and was unable to speak.

Her plight caught the imagination of the community and the sum of £3,000 was raised in only two months to help the family.

Jennie finally arrived in Greenock in January 1992 and was seen by consultant Robin McGuiness at Inverclyde Royal Hospital.

Following tests the specialist discovered that she had some hearing in both ears and would make use of a battery operated hearing aid.

Speaking to the Telegraph in July 1993, Mrs Hamill said: "Jennie appears to be progressing well and is still receiving new hearing aids from the IRH as he ears grow."

Wax impressions of Jennie's ears were dispatched back to Greenock every six months so doctors knew what size of aid to send - and she started to speak.

Jennie is now 33 and married to Willem, who is also deaf, and and they have two children Frizo, three, and Dafne, who is two.

Her mum Tania, whose real name is Stanka, has contacted the Telegraph through her friend Andrea Kleuskens to try to get in touch with Isabel and Billy.

Andrea said: "The Hamills met Tania when they were on holiday in Bulgaria, Tania was working in a restaurant in the resort.

"Tania told them the story about Jennie and the Hamills invited Tania and her daughter Jennie to come to Scotland."

Tania is now keen to contact the Hamills to thank them for what they have done, as a surprise for her daughter.

Andrea said: "Jennie is a grown up woman and happy with her husband and their two kids.

"Tania is a proud mum and grandmother.

"This is something she wants to do for the happiness of her daughter, she would appreciate this very much."

One of the people involved in the appeal in the 90s, former parks superintendent and Rotarian Jim Hunter, hopes that the families will be reunited almost three decades on.

He today recalled how he and other fund organisers had to battle red tape with the help of the Bulgarian ambassador.

Mr Hunter, who later become a local councillor, told how he struck up a friendship with the ambassador when he visited Glasgow for a Scotland versus Bulgaria game and the found common ground through Rotary.

He said: "I got talking to him about Jenny's plight and explained to him about the difficulties of her leaving the country because it was still part of the Eastern Bloc.

"Thankfully he managed to get through the red tape."

Jennie and her mum visited Jim, his wife and family in Gourock's Victoria Road at the time and he remembers them all fondly.

He said: "She was a lovely wee lass. She was timid because she couldn't understand but once she got that hearing aid, she was able to hear for the very first time."

Anyone with any information should contact ltinney@greenocktelegraph.co.uk or 01475 558928.