Old towels from a Cheltenham laundry are being given a second lease of life by being sent to Africa to aid charity projects.

So far, more than 2,000 towels donated by CLEAN's Cheltenham laundry have been sent to Africa by the charity Bees Abroad.

Bees Abroad aim to relieve poverty in parts of Africa by helping citizens to set up their own bee-keeping enterprises.

Their latest venture is in the village of Karimenga in Ghana, where agriculture is a vital source of income for up to three-quarters of the population.

And as bees aid pollination it helps with agriculture, but also provides a second source of income.

Bees Abroad volunteer Brian Durk lives locally to CLEAN's site on Hatherely Road and asked if he could take old towels, that would otherwise be ragged by the laundry.

He now collects a supply every three months and sends them out to Africa where they are put to use.

CLEAN Cheltenham site director Nick Phillips said: "We are really pleased that our old towels can be put to good use and are helping to build a sustainable economy in areas of extreme poverty.

"It's also a great example of where our towels can be reused instead of being ragged."

Other charities supported by CLEAN Cheltenham include Macmillan Cancer Support, CLEAN's official chosen charity, as well as the Teenage Cancer Trust and Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.