A LIFELINE has been thrown to the Selby area couple facing ruin after their retirement dream of travel in an American motor home turned into a nightmare.

Now a campaign is being launched by motor home enthusiasts from around the country to try to raise a fund for the stricken Riccall couple.

Barry and Maureen Bramhill, of King's Rudding Lane, told in Saturday's Evening Press how they were sold a dream American motor home, but it was too big for British roads - and were then dealt a hammer blow when judges refused their bid for compensation.

In their four-year fight to win back their money from the dealer who sold them the oversized Recreational Vehicle, the pair have run up legal bills of £180,000, and the motorhome was seized by bailiffs.

Now enthusiast Helen SImpson, 59, from Stockport, is organising a campaign to help the Bramhills.

She said: "I was just so angry when I read what had happened to them, so I decided to try to help them now and raise some money, so they can either fight on, or at least have some money to fall back on."

"At last year's motor home show in York there were at least 10,000 visitors. If every one of them gave just £10 then that's £100,000 straight away, which would make an enormous difference."

Updated: 10:50 Tuesday, April 06, 2004