TWO Hampshire police officers are back home at Fair Oak after "pounding" a charity beat in one of the most impoverished corners of the world.

Tracy and Julie Swainston have been to Kware - a disease-ridden suburb of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

They saw how nearly half a million people are "prisoners" in a slum world of incredible poverty where schools are lying beside open sewers.

But the fundraising work of the Fair Oak based St Thomas' Handshake to Kware Appeal is making major inroads into freeing the slum dwellers from their daily misery.

Tracy, 41, and Julie, 42, who are both stationed at Hedge End, went to see how the funds being raised in their home village were helping to provide vital medical care and education for a corner of the world which was in danger of being forgotten.

The couple, who have three children, have been active supporters of the Kware appeal since it was launched.

They have taken part in fundraising events, like Stars In Your Eyes style shows, and Tracy has done a parachute jump.

But Tracy and Julie were keen to experience at first hand the atmosphere of the shanty town. They both found it a very humbling experience - "It is abject poverty," said Tracy. The stench from the sewers is the first thing to hit visitors as they enter the slums which is home to about half a million people.

Tracy said: "Both schools have an open sewer next to them."

But the schools have a toilet - a luxury which those living in the surrounding tin shacks do not have.

The couple visited both schools - one is named Fair Oak School and the Church on the Rock School. Tracy said: "The kids are smiling and happy and are pleased to see people who are improving their life.

"The schoolchildren are so grateful for what they have got and things are a whole lot better."

Tracy and Julie were impressed with high standard of education.

The couple, who took with them copies of The Southern Daily Echo, are hoping to return to Kware where fundraising spearheaded by Fair Oak villagers is bringing hope to a community which had been starved of resources.