West Cumbrian school pupils ran the equivalent of a marathon in order to raise funds to replace a dilapidated kitchen in their partner school in Tanzania.

Dearham school pupils from nursery age to year six rallied together and ran an amazing 105 laps of the school field between them in order to fulfill the challenge of running 26.2 miles.

Class teacher Andrea Clayton said: “We’ve done several fundraising events in the past for the school and when we mentioned doing a run the children were completely on board with the idea.”

Children did a relay type event beginning with the nursery children who each managed a lap of the field, up to year six children, who did a minimum of 12 laps.

Mrs Clayton added: “They all did very well, lots did more than the requirement, and it was very positive for them to do something for others and keeping themselves fit too.”

She said they have done other events in the past and wanted to do something different this time that the children could do themselves.

She said: “Even when they were tired out they wanted to do more laps.”

Mrs Clayton co-ordinated a partnership with Tolu primary school near the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania two years ago.

Children there live on small holdings and have to walk for miles to reach their school. Dearham school have provided them with funds in the past which have bought essential resources and in the last year the focus has been on rebuilding Tolu school’s kitchen, which was a dilapidated shack, but due to the funding it is now able to undergo a tremendous transformation.

Dearham pupils are kept updated through letters and video clips from Tolu primary school, which they see in school assemblies.

Parent, teaching assistant and school governor, Julie Graham, said: “It was a really good idea, when you see what’s been done out there through photos and video clips, it’s so worthwhile.”

Mrs Clayton said: “It’s a privilege to know the fund raising we do in school is changing children’s lives.

“We may even raise more than the target figure of £500 from the marathon.”