Thousands of pounds worth of disability aids left discarded at Sidmouth Recycling Centre have been shipped to children and adults in Romania – changing their lives for the better.

A dozen-strong team of ‘silent’ Good Samaritans from the Honiton area sent scores of mobility equipment to needy people abroad this year.

The Herald reported earlier this month how a business owner had blasted the NHS for its ‘shocking waste of resources’ after she discovered dozens of walkers dumped at the facility near the Bowd.

David Gentry, who lives in Awliscombe, collects the disability aids, which are then gifted to children and adults in the city of Brasov in Romania - and especially to those living in poverty.

He and others are working through charity Mission to Europe, which donates the disability aids through its medical loan scheme. The scheme, set up in 2005, assists children and adults with special needs.

Mr Gentry and the others receive the mobility aids as gifts and donations, and sometimes purchase them from Sidmouth Recycling Centre.

They also receive mobility scooters from families who have no need for them anymore. The items are shipped out to Romania by lorries four times a year. The team is also supported by the Honiton-based group TRIP Community Transport Association.

Neil Hurlock, from the charity, said: “It’s nice to see items of equipment that can’t or won’t be used in this country being sent abroad and being given a purpose. This is all about recycling as effectively and efficiently as possible and not seeing things like that going to waste.”