Ref. 12359/2PUPILS at Rowde Primary School have raised over £300 for the charity Send a Cow which gives farm animals to people in poor countries.

The children were set a target of £60 to buy a flock of chickens, but they excelled themselves by raising £322 enough for several flocks.

Class teacher Jenny Adams said: "They really threw themselves into the fund-raising effort.

"They had a sponsored hat-wearing day and some of the designs were excellent.

"They also ran stalls of cakes and bric a brac and ran several games at the school's Christmas fair."

The Christian charity was set up in Bath 15 years ago to send animals from this country to the less developed countries.

But now the animals are bred close to where they will be sent, with money donated by British people.

Last week the children handed over the money to Val Procter from Send a Cow.

She said: "The children were wonderful.

"They had done so much to help people in another country thousands of miles away from them because they really cared about their predicament.

"The charity doesn't just send cows and chickens, but goats, pigs and even bees and fruit trees.

"The only stipulation is that the first-born of any animals born should be given to other needy families."

The Rowde School chickens will be sent to Africa. The exact place is not yet known and will be decided by local people in Africa.