Rita Astbury, the youngsters' legal guardian, and her brother, Freddie Astbury, are desperate to have the schoolgirls returned to Blackpool,

Carene, 12 and Shelby, 11, are in Morocco with a family they have never met before after allegedly being abducted in August.

Police and solicitors for their legal guardian, their grandmother Rita Astbury, claim the Moroccan family have refused to return the girls.

Diplomatic negotiations are under way to have them returned the 1,400 miles home – but the family say they are moving too slowly.

"We're prepared to go over there," Rita said. "We can't believe how long it is taking and we're worried about the girls.

"It's amazing more isn't being done and it isn't moving more quickly.

And Freddie, who has travelled from his home in Liverpool to stay with his sister during her ordeal, added: "We keep getting messages there is a chance the girls could come home and there might be some action.

"Then the next minute it falls through and we are back to square one.

"We all just want it to be over."

The pair, both unable to work due to ill health, have no way of paying for flights to Morocco.

They are now hoping a kindhearted airline will help them with their travel.

Meanwhile, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FOC), the British Embassy and the Ministry of Justice are continuing negotiations.

Blackpool MP Gordon Marsden has written to the Moroccan Ambassador to the UK and has spoken with Minister of State for the FOC Ivan Lewis.

Mr Lewis has told Mr Marsden the Moroccan Ministry for Foreign Affairs has asked for a document called a Commission Rogatoire – a legal document explaining the situation in Arabic and English.

Once received, the document will then be passed on to a district judge in Morocco who could make a ruling the girls should be returned home.

n The girls' mother, Trudy Crofts, 32, has been charged with child abduction. She is due to appear at Blackpool Magistrates Court today.