British truck drivers are to run a special Christm

British truck drivers are to run a special Christmas Day
convoy into war-torn Sarajevo.

Braving bombs and bullets, they will take 300 tonnes of supplies
into the besieged Bosnian capital to hold a party for some of the
city’s starving children.

For the past three months the Government’s Overseas Development
Administration have been delivering 1,000 tonnes of flour and
medical supplies into Sarajevo every week – more than double the
tonnage of any other foreign aid team.

‘On Christmas Day we are going to do something a little bit
special,’ said logistics manager Nigel Moore, of Oakham, Leics.

‘Instead of the usual 10 trucks we are going to take all 20
vehicles into the city, packed full of Christmas treats for the
people there.

‘At the moment the Serb forces surrounding the city only let the
drivers take in one packet of coffee and one carton of cigarettes
each for the inhabitants of Sarajevo.

‘We are now negotiating with them to let them take in as many
Christmas hampers as we can carry.

Whatever happens, we will take
in full loads of food and as many treats and toys as possible.

‘
The workers and families at Sarajevo’s supply warehouse
are already planning for the party.

‘I am living only for this day,’ said Davorka Popovic, 33,
who has lived in Sarajevo all her life.

‘All the workers from the
warehouse will be bringing their children to the party.

‘Normally we do not celebrate Christmas very much in Bosnia,
but this year will be different.

As well as keeping us alive with
their food the British drivers bring us hope from the outside world
every time they come in here.

‘I always imagined the British were very cold, but they are
so gentle and kind.

‘
The warehouse workers have given shelter to the drivers many
times when they have been trapped in the city overnight by heavy
shelling.

Billy Espener, of Easterhouse, Glasgow, tosses a package of
chocolate and biscuits to a girl of about eight as he drives his
truck into Sarajevo.

‘She stands in the same place every time,
blowing me kisses.

I always give her something.

‘
Mr Espener added: ‘I’ll bring her a few teddies or toys on
Christmas Day if she’s there.

‘
And Mark Antoniuk, 31, of Crumpsall, Manchester, said:
‘It’s the reaction you get off the locals that makes the job
worthwhile.

Today I gave a packet of cigarettes to a lady.

She
was nearly in tears and said she would save them till Christmas
morning.

‘They are reduced to eating grass here.

If we didn’t get
through with supplies they would starve to death.

‘I’d love to be at home with my girlfriend at Christmas,
but we will lay on a spread for the people here instead.

I’ll
have my Christmas when I get back in February.

‘
The British convoys take a day and a half to reach Sarajevo
from their base at Metkovic on the Bosnian-Croatian border near
Split.

The first part of their route takes them along the Mostar Road
which runs between the Serb and Bosnian front lines often being caught
in the middle of artillery barrages between the two sides as they
race through, unarmed and unescorted by the United Nations protection
forces.

The only protection they have are helmets and flak jackets.

The convoys must then cross the mountain range between Sarajevo
on hairpin dirt tracks cut through the forest, as the main roads are
closed by fighting.

One of the British trucks plunged off the track
down a 300ft drop last month.

The driver managed to leap clear
and was unhurt.

Coming into Sarajevo they race across ‘Sniper Alley’
– a stretch of road littered with burnt out tanks and shot up
cars – into the city.

Earlier this week, one driver, Gary Maddison, of Felixstowe,
had his tyres shot out by a sniper.

He managed to steer the truck
to safety and was unharmed.

The team of British Overseas Development Administration
drivers based in the Croatian capital Zagreb have also arranged a
special Christmas delivery to a local refugee camp.

‘We’ve adopted 120 Bosnian children in this camp,’ said
driver Peter Chappell, 32, of Chipping Warden, near Banbury, Oxon.

‘My mother Kate has sent over 200 teddy bears collected by local
people.

We’re going to turn one of the trucks into a Christmas float,
decked out with a tree and lights.

I’m dressing up as Father Christmas
and we’ll drive into the camp and give out food and presents.

‘
Alistair Forbes, of Maryhill, Glasgow, will lead in the float,
wearing his kilt and playing the bagpipes.

‘I only know “Flower of
Scotland”‘, he said, adding: ‘We’ve had a whip-round and have got
a load of toys like jig-saws and footballs.

‘It’ll be a great party.

‘
ENDS
LLLL