Youngsters at a Westcliff school have been busy bringing in old toys and buying new ones to raise money for premature babies.

Earls Hall Junior School in Carlton Avenue held a Blue Peter sale to help collect money for Bliss, which raises funds for neo-natal units.

The children's television programme has already reached its £500,000 target but the cause has proved so popular, the figure has been raised to £1 million.

A school spokesman said: "Representatives from each of our year groups held the sale and all the children were involved in bringing in toys and buying new ones. It was very successful."

Toy story - Lewis Dunn and Stewart Weller, both aged ten, with just some of the toys which were bought and sold during their school sale

Picture: MIKE NEVILLE

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