PUPILS from a town centre primary school ran the extra mile to help raise more than £7,000 for Barnsley Hospice.

Children from Shawlands Primary School, on Shaw Lane, took part in the ‘reindeer run’ last week.

They donned reindeer antlers and Christmas jumpers and ran as many laps of the field as they could, despite the cold weather.

Staff at the school hoped they would raise £600 to send to the hospice after a difficult year but were shocked when the donations kept coming in.

“We have fundraised for the hospice in the past and raised a few hundred pounds,” said the school’s headteacher, Duncan Thompson. “We hoped we could get that much but any donation was welcome.

“The donations kept coming in, and when we hit our first £1,000 we knew it would be something special.”

Last Friday, donations stood at £3,500, but by Monday morning the school had amassed more than £7,700 in donations.

“I couldn’t believe it,” added Duncan. “The donations kept coming and coming.

“I want to thank everyone that donated. Usually the event is to raise funds for the school as well, but the staff unanimously decided that all the funds should go to the hospice.

“It’s by far the largest amount of money we have raised within the school.”