A GIRL who was adopted from a Pakistani orphanage by an Oxford couple is to return to her home country for the first time with gifts for needy youngsters.

New Marston residents have helped seven-year-old Sabrena Afridi collect toothbrushes and washbags for the Edhi Orphanage in Karachi, Pakistan.

The Rye St Anthony School pupil was rescued from the orphanage by adoptive parents Amjad and Sobia Afridi, from New Marston, when she was just a baby.

Mrs Afridi, 41, said: “My husband has been back to visit the orphanage but this will be the first time myself and Sabrena have gone back. It will be very emotional.

“When Amjad last went he took 58 pairs of shoes and pink and blue blankets for the little boys and girls.

“Sabrena decided she wanted to take a gift too.

“She has got a thing about brushing her teeth so thought it would be nice for the children to have their own little washbag with a toothbrush and toothpaste in it each.”

The family, who also adopted three-year-old son Shariq from the same orphanage, will return to Pakistan later this month.

Mrs Afridi said: “Sabrena has been asking lots of questions about the orphanage, she is very inquisitive.

“She is worried about the floods coming back and keeps asking about them.

“We are not sure how the floods have affected the number of children in the home. We think it could have increased the numbers but we will have to wait and see.”

When she was brought back to Oxford, Sabrena was diagnosed with blood disorder thalassaemia, or thal, a condition which can lead to life-threatening anaemia.

She faced a battle with NHS Oxfordshire, which decides how health cash should be spent, to get it to fund a daily tablet, Exjade, to replace painful injections. Life improved for the family when they finally won funding in July.

To donate to Sabrena’s washbag collection, email Mrs Afridi at surrya56@hotmail.com