A TEENAGER spoke last night of his terror after being confronted by armed police during an aid trip to Romania.

Ashley Clough, 14, from Norton, near Stockton, was travelling with Convoy Aid founder Rod Jones and his wife, Gabriella, when they were ordered out of their 4x4 on the German border by a stop-and-search team on Wednesday morning.

Friends and family in the UK did not know what had happened to the three after the search, but last night, Mr Jones was finally reached on his mobile phone.

Back in England last night, Ashley spoke about his ordeal.

He said: "It was quite frightening. They all had guns and it is the first time I have been stopped by the police."

The group was on its way back to Britain after delivering aid to a remote Romanian community when it drove into an operation mounted by German customs, who were looking for drugs being smuggled from eastern Europe.

Last night, Ashley's mother, Sandra, said she was relieved her son was safe.

Mr and Mrs Jones, accompanied by Ashley, set out just before Christmas for the Romanian community of Iash, following a Convoy Aid lorry taking 22 tons of essentials to people living in the town.

Ashley also took shoe-boxes that were filled with toiletries and toys from fellow pupils at Norton Comprehensive School for orphans and street children.

Mr Jones has said he will submit a claim for compensation against the German authorities for damage to his vehicle during the stop and search.