MASSAGE therapist and reflexologist Colette Lassalle has been using her skills to help people in Bosnia whose lives have been torn apart by war.

The 47-year-old, from Bradford on Avon, who runs The Wellness Woman, has returned from a two-week trip to the country where she treated 70 people.

She went with the charity Healing Hands Network, which rents a house in Sarajevo where five volunteer therapists stay for two-week periods and go out to local people to try and improve their lives.

Mrs Lassalle said: "Eleven years ago, the pain and the grief are very palpable.

"They badly need our support in spite of the fact they don't make the headlines anymore."

Many of the men and women she treated suffered tremendously, both physically and emotionally, during the Serbian siege between 1992-1995.

Some of the people Mrs Lassalle treated included amputees and others who still have large pieces of shrapnel lodged in their necks, shoulders or ribs, or have scars from bullets and grenades.

"Massaging some of them was a delicate and challenging affair at times," she said.

"The vast majority have experienced a tremendous amount of physical and psychological abuse in concentration camps and under house arrest.

"Women and girls would be repeatedly raped every day for months - sometimes up to 15 times a day and often in the presence of a family member - sometimes a member of their family would be executed in front of them.

"One of my patients was so badly beaten up that he could not stand even the most gentle massage strokes on his back."

The idea of the charity's work is to help victims release some of their pain and trauma through therapies like massage, reflexology and acupuncture.

Mrs Lassalle said her experiences have had a profound effect on her and she plans to return to Bosnia for another two weeks next year.

"It has really changed the nature of my practice and made me much more compassionate. It's shown me qualities I didn't know I had of love and compassion and pushed me to the limit," she said.

"I've started learning the language as well because I want to be able to communicate better when I go back."

She said she was overwhelmed by the Bosnian's generosity towards the therapists despite many of them having very poor backgrounds.

"Being at the receiving end of their unwavering generosity is a most humbling experience," said Mrs Lassalle.

"Every day we would be showered with gifts of food, flowers, slippers and lucky charms. A great reality check on all the things I can be grateful for in my life."

For more information about helping the charity by becoming a member or donating money visit www.healinghands.org.uk