A CHARITY is appealing for big-hearted Gazette readers to help save a man’s life in Africa.

Benin Christian Support, in Thorpe le Soken, is in a race against time to raise £1,000 to pay for a life-saving operation.

Tumour victim Barnabus, 32, has just two or three weeks left to live without treatment.

The growth in his neck is benign but slowly strangling him.

Without an operation in the next few days or so he will die.

Charity treasurer Maureen Sanders said: “We have done lots of these operations over the last nine years on babies as young as 16 months to older people in their 40s and 50s, and they have all been successful.

“The reason they get to this size is because these people are very, very poor and have very little, if any, money so cannot go to a doctor.

“A tiny lump, which would be removed very quickly in the UK, over the years grows and grows until it is strangling them, and then in desperation they try and find someone to help.”

Barnabus has a wife but no children.

So far the charity has raised just £100 of the operation’s £1,000 price-tag.

Anyone who can help Barnabus should send donations to Maureen Sanders, The Annexe, The White House, High Street, Thorpe le Soken, CO16 0EF or call 01255 862618 for more details. Cheques should be made out to Benin Christian Support.