Emotional global mission for Carl

But the Black Country delicacy was just one of the many highlights on an expedition described by Carl today as "highly emotional" and "gruelling".

The 52-year-old jetted off to South America with Walsall firefighters Rudy Parkes and Andy Grosvenor from Heathrow last month in a challenge to help a local school and to help raise thousands of pounds for a cancer charity set up in memory of the 1966 World Cup winning England skipper Bobby Moore.

The venture was inspired by Carl's own personal sadness as his uncle has been diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer.

The fundraising trio were joined by 24 other UK volunteers in helping to rebuild a school in the isolated community of El Pedregal.

"It was emotionally draining but it is one of the most worthwhile things I've done in my life," said Spanish speaking Carl, who acted as the group's interpreter.

"It was a fantastic trip and something I'd definitely do again in the future." The volunteers camped near to the school and spent seven days transforming its tired and neglected old buildings.

They spent hours fitting a new toilet block and ripping out and floors and ceilings in the school's classrooms.

"It was a lot of hard work," said Carl. "I was ripping walls down and smashing things up and it was very tiring.

"We also painted all the different flags of the world on the outside of the school buildings."

Carl, a Birmingham University professor, also took a three hour lesson for the children and taught them about Birmingham and the Black Country.

When the work was completed on Sunday, the school's teachers and pupils organised an official opening ceremony of the new toilet block.

"They stood to attention and sang the national anthem of Ecuador and we were then given gifts to take away with us," said Carl.

"Some of the children and teachers even cried as we left. It was very emotional."

While over there, Carl and the other volunteers were invited to play a semi-professional football team on Saturday in the town of Machachi, which they lost 7-5.

Team manager Carl said: "The stadium was in the middle of nowhere but it was the most spectacular football grounds I have ever been to as it was surrounded by volcanoes.

"We lost the game 7-5 in the end but it was great fun."

The group was invited by the club's president to dinner, where they sampled some of the local delicacies, which included pork scratchings that could have come straight from the bar of a Black Country pub. I couldn't believe it when they offered me a pork scratching," said Carl. "It's amazing how the food of working class people is the same across the world."

After a tiring 28-hour journey Carl arrived back at his home this week, where he paid tribute to Rudy and Andy's efforts on the trip.

"They were both brilliant. Without these two Black Country men this project would never have been completed. It was a fantastic trip and lovely to meet the people over there."

The Bobby Moore Fund raises money through expeditions to various parts of the globe.

The 27 volunteers have managed to raise more than £100,000 for the charity from the expedition.

* Anyone wishing to donate to the charity can send a cheque made out to The Bobby Moore Fund to Carl Chinn c/o the Express & Star, 51-53 Queen Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1ES.