SCHOOLCHILDREN fed up with travelling in dilapidated mini-buses are urging people to help them raise the £50,000 needed to replace them.

Students at Greendown School say the buses have become a bit of an embarrassment and sometimes have difficulty getting up steep hills.

There are also stories of seeing smoke starting to come out of the engine.

Christina Carvajal, 13, said: "One day we were travelling to a course and I was sat at the back when the engine started smoking."

Now the Friends of Greendown School, made up of parents, governors, pupils and staff, have decided to do something about the buses.

They have organised a fun day to get the fundraising ball rolling. They already have £2,000 in the bank and hope to raise the rest by this time next year.

The vehicles are mainly used to transport pupils to away sports fixtures in the Swindon area as well as further afield such as Manchester and Bristol.

Chris Dobbs, the head of boys PE, said: "Pupils don't respect the mini-buses because they are tatty.

"They are very slow, very heavy and hard to get up hills."

School manager Mark Lanchester said: "It's time to buy new ones.

"These things are both 16 years old, have done in excess of 200,000 kilometres and just cost too much money to keep running.

"The two vehicles are old, and although they have had a recent refurbishment, are still a bit worse for wear."

On July 16, the school is opening its doors to members of the public when it launches its fundraising appeal.

People are invited to take part in a series of sponsored challenges such as a walk, a bike ride or even keeping their mouths shut in a sponsored silence.

And the group has organised a series of activities throughout the year such as mufti days, barbecues, raffles and discos that pupils and parents can take part in.

The school is also appealing for support from Swindon companies in the form of donations or sponsorship.

Bhavani Vadde