A MALVERN therapist has returned from his visit to the war-torn land of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Tim Willcocks, who practices reflexology and the Bowen technique, was making his fourth trip to the Balkan nation under the aegis of the Healing Hands Network, set up several years ago to spread the benefits of complementary therapies.

Once again, he saw first-hand the devastation caused by the war which accompanied the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, and the physical and mental anguish the people have to bear.

Mr Willcocks heard stories from his patients of cruelty and suffering which it is hard to comprehend, such as the old woman whose fiance was killed aged 20, just before the Second World War, whose baby was bayoneted by Bulgarian soldiers and who was put in a concentration camp in the recent war.

"Another time, two women told us that even though they were laughing and joking, they were 'empty' inside," he said.

But Mr Willcocks says everyone made the party of travelling therapists from Britain very welcome.

"It's almost like we were visiting from outer space," he said. "Well, not quite, but they are amazed that there are people who care enough to visit them."

The team spent most of the time in Sarajevo but visited the town of Pale. "We were told that once it was going to be the centre of the world. It was Radovan Karedzic's base," said Mr Willcocks.

They also visited the huge refugee camp at Tuzla.

"The Red Cross have provided these accommodation units, but they are pretty basic and they didn't have running water when we were there," he said.

Back in Sarajevo, the electricity in their house blew twice in two days, and then a tap came off and nearly flooded them out.

But, says Mr Willcocks: "This was so much better than four years ago when water only ran for one or two hours a day, and electricity was often absent."

Mr Willcocks will be returning to Bosnia again and next time he hopes to do more than practice his therapies.

"What I would like to do is get involved with teaching them," he said.

He also wants to thank everyone who contributed to the £760 fund which enabled him to make the journey.

"I gave a total of 76 treatments of therapy, so those who donated £10 each gave a full treatment to a Bosnian."

Mr Willcocks is also looking for more complementary therapists to visit Bosnia in the future.

"The Healing Hands Network is a bit short of people so if there are any therapists out there who want to help and have a bit of an adventure, please contact me," he said.

Mr Willcocks can be reached on 01684 541606.