BOOKS collected by a retired teacher as party of a mercy mission to help children in Africa have become stranded in Greenock due to the ebola crisis.

David Hanschell, pictured, founder of the Surplus Educational Supplies Foundation (SESF) charity, had collected the text books from schools across Inverclyde.

The were destined for Sierra Leone where David, who has studied for a construction qualification, hoped to build a school.

But the deadly ebola epidemic halted his plans to visit the country — and now he is left with thousands of books and nowhere to send them.

This is the latest in a series of setbacks for David, including problems with storage and being forced to close his own second-hand bookshop in the Oak Mall.

Clydeport stepped in to provide containers for the books, while an old friend in the US donated $5,000 to pay for the storage bill.

The shipment is currently stranded in Inverclyde, but David hopes he may have now found an alternative destination for the goods.

He contacted the High Commission for Jamaica in London and the ministry of education in Kingston, who have said they would be delighted to receive the kind donation.

David got in touch with an old shipping contact Roland Malins-Smith of Sea Freight Agencies Ltd, and they have agreed to transport the two 40ft containers from Miami to Kingston.

But David is appealing for local lorry firms to offer their services to take the containers to Felixstowe in Suffolk for the flight to the USA.

He said: “It’s the final piece in the jigsaw.

“Even if local hauliers take them as far as Manchester, I can get them to Felixstowe. I would need two articulated lorries. They could be from two different companies.” The charity which was formed in response to the Hurricane Ivan disaster in Grenada in 2005, sent a container of educational supplies to Liberia last year.

David wants to thank Clydeport general manager Andrew Hemphill and everyone who has helped him so far.

Councillor Terry Loughran, education and communities vice convener, said he was delighted the council were able to help with initial book donation.

He said: “We know how important a good education is in shaping the lives of young people in Inverclyde so we are delighted to be able to help such a worthy cause and to help to shape the lives of young people many miles away.

“We are fortunate to have access to high quality resources so I am very pleased that we have been able to make this donation which will hopefully make a real difference.” If anyone can help the charity, contact David on 07979 551946.