WAREARTED coal yard customers raised £1,365 to help educate primary age children with multiple and profound difficulties including visual and hearing defects, epilepsy, autism and physical disability.

Regulars of Astley fuel merchant Paul Rogers annually support a raffle for coal and wood with proceeds going to grateful Springwood School which needs funds to buy special equipment, such as bicycles, computers and aromatic plants to help children learn.

Here Mr Rogers' daughter, Nicola, colleague Katie Brooks with son Luke, are pictured with pupils Bev Wall, Sean Robinson and James Kitt who drew the winning numbers at the Scott House yard.

Grateful Springwood head Mrs A Darlington said: "We are eternally grateful to friends such as Paul Rogers who provide all the extras we could not otherwise obtain. 'Thank you' hardly seems enough!"