PUPILS at St Patrick's Roman Catholic Primary School, in Corsham, have been collecting essential items for orphans half way around the world.

The children have have collected dozens of boxes of games, soft toys and clothes for orphans in Sierra Leone.

The orphanage was founded in 1996 to take care of children orphaned and abandoned as a result of the civil war in Sierra Leone, which has devastated the country since 1990.

The children's plight has been made even worse since the orphanage was damaged in the recent storms that battered the country.

The toys, games and clothes were being flown out via RAF Lyneham and will be distributed in Sierra Leone by the War Orphans Cries organisation.

The orphanage is housed in a very basic structure. It has earth floors, no running water or electricity and four beds to each small room. Four children sleep in each bed. Their ages range from three to 16.

The packages donated by the pupils of St Patrick's School will be in addition to more than 1,000 textbooks, pencils, crayons and other school supplies that already been collected by pupils at Stroud High School for girls and by Elmore Women's Institute.

Advanced Removals and Storage Ltd, of Quedgeley, near Gloucester, provided all packaging materials and transport to RAF Lyneham.