MP David Mundell in Sierra Leone

But Clydesdale MP David Mundell is not used to sitting on a bench out the back ...and prefers to put his skills to better use!

In a special report for Gazette readers, the Conservative politician explained how he spent some of his summer — helping people in Sierra Leone.

Of his trip, David said: ''Whatever else comes from a visit to a country like Sierra Leone, it restores your sense of perspective.

''It is so easy to lose that in the political bubble in our country and to forget the level of hardship people elsewhere endure on a daily basis, just to survive.

''Sierra Leone, after its long civil war, is statistically one of the poorest countries in the world with a mother more likely to die in childbirth there than anywhere else on the planet.

''However, the difficulties do not obscure the beauty of the country and cannot hide the bustle and vibrancy of the capital Freetown, with its cocktail of street traders and traffic congestion.''

To discover more about David's fourth trip to Sierra Leone, pick up a copy of this week's Carluke and Lanark Gazette which is in the shops now.