A mercy dash to deliver aid to orphaned children has been saved at the eleventh hour, after investors pulled out.

Simon Rooksby, founder of Computers for Charities, based in Hailsham, had written off his trip to Zimbabwe after financial backing from a company in Wales was shelved.

But thanks to the generosity of an American company it looks like children, orphaned by Aids in the capital Harare, will now receive vital food and medicine.

The Argus received an email from Island Computers, based in Savannah, Georgia, yesterday, after staff apparently read about the plight of Mr Rooksby on the newspaper's website.

David Turner, from Island Computers, said the company would stump up £600, the full amount needed to save the trip.

Mr Rooksby said: "It's amazing, it really is wonderful that the money is coming in but it's even more remarkable when you consider where it came from.

"As long as the money goes in the bank when I'm away it's fine. We would go on the strength of that really."

Charity volunteers were devastated after South Wales-based Precious Metals Industries Group Ltd, went into liquidation and failed to hand over £600 from the recycling of old computer parts.

The American donation means Mr Rooksby will leave for the African country on Monday.