Pupils in bananas to pyjamas for charity

Fancy-dress pupils get ready to run 4,810 metres — the height of Mont Blanc — for charity

GAME youngsters donned their silliest outfits to run as far as their intrepid teacher will climb.

Year 6 pupils at St Joseph’s RC Primary, Shaw, are backing their deputy head teacher Steve Hill’s charity mission to climb Mont Blanc and have organised fundraising events to help.

They were joined in fancy dress by some members of staff in a sponsored 4,810 metre fun run, which is the height of Western Europe’s tallest mountain, which Steve will climb on July 31. Outfits ranged from bananas to dressing up in pyjamas.

Also taking part were staff members from Asda in Shaw, who raised over £200. Once the pupils’ sponsorship is collected the final total could be more than £500.

The kind-hearted youngsters have already washed more than 100 cars to raise £350.

Mr Hill is raising money for BIRD, a brain-injury charity, and Help For Heroes, which supports injured servicemen and women.

Mr Hill said: “It was one of the events the pupils came up with and went really well. They did 15 laps of the course in fancy dress and they ran, skipped, did piggy backs and leap frogged round, it was a fun event.

“They fully support it and are really into it. They have been fantastic. The mountain climb is looming at the moment. As soon as we finish school it will be all systems go.”

Last year Mr Hill scaled Mount Kilimanjaro to net £5,000 for the Christie’s at Oldham appeal.

He is funding his trip to the Alps himself with any money raised through sponsorship going to charity.

To sponsor him, visit www.justgiving.com/stephenhill7