MONEY from the £93m sale of a Hampshire shopping centre is to fund missionary work in war-torn African countries, the Daily Echo can reveal.

An unnamed investor paid out the sum for Fareham shopping centre, netting its owners a £15m profit after little more than two years.

Charity, Christian Vision, bought the West Street shopping centre, which boasts branches of Woolworths, Marks & Spencer, BHS and Boots among 76 outlets, for £78m as an investment in 2002.

The sale has been put together over the past month, but the new owner insists on anonymity and it is unclear even whether it is an individual or a company.

Christian Vision works throughout the Third World and has a stated aim to introduce one billion people to Christianity. A core part of the West Bromwich-based charity's activities is setting up Christian radio stations in poverty-stricken areas. Christian Vision's financial director Tim Boxall said the profit could pay for as many as 60 radio transmitters, but said the money was more likely to go towards missionary work in Africa.

He said: "We fund missionaries in countries like Mozambique, Angola and East Timor working with local people at grass roots level. They don't just build churches but do education and health work with very disadvantaged people.

"Each of these countries has been through traumatic violence either through civil wars or fighting for independence."

He said the charity, which has no links with Fareham and bought the centre purely as an investment, was delighted with the deal.

"We were very happy with the price. The property market is at a peak so it seemed like a good time to sell. It is the biggest deal we have ever done."