HMS Southampton crew members yesterday gave up the chance to lie on the beach to work for a Rio children's charity.

More than 20 officers and ratings carried out crucial maintenance work to the Casa Jimmy home for street children, named after legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.

The volunteers gave up their free time to clip a 20ft hedge, clear rubble off a basketball court and carry out electrical repairs.

Ship's captain Comm-ander Mark Trevor, took part, too, with his wife, Kelly.

Brazil's street children lead shockingly deprived lives and are often subjected to physical violence and sexual abuse.

Yet many Brazilians have little sympathy for their plight, believing they bring it on themselves.

According to Unicef there are between seven and eight million children living and working in the filth of the dusty streets.

Some 600 of this underclass were killed in 1998. And in Rio 42 per cent of the street population is under six years old.

Rock legend Jimmy Page was so horrified by what he saw when he performed there during a tour that he threw them a £100,000 lifeline.

This enabled The Abandoned Street Kids of Brazil Trust's Ligia da Silva to buy the centre that has become Casa Jimmy.

For the past 18 months she has housed around 15 children, aged between one and six, as well as five pregnant young girls there.

They provide a safe haven for the youngsters while efforts are made to return them to society.

And, thanks to a hefty British Embassy donation, they have been able to build a new wing which will soon put a roof over the heads of 12 street babies.

Ligia said: "It's very distressing. Their lives are full of many dangers and they get involved in drugs, stealing, violence and, from time to time, they are killed because of their stealing.

"This work is something I do with all my heart. But without the support of the Royal Navy we would not have achieved what we have achieved."

British naval attache to Brazil Captain Roger Turner told how generous-natured sailors had brought out furniture and toys for Casa Jimmy's.

"By concentrating on one project it allows us to make a bigger difference than if we had spread our efforts around," he said.

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