AN Albanian school in Pristina is hoping to create close links with children from Preston in a unique pen-pal scheme.

Shkola Filore, based in the heart of Kosovo's capital, is home to more than 1,600 pupils -- many of who are smiling through the tears. Two local children have to walk some 12 kilometres to school.

And like the city itself, Shkola Filore is still rebuilding a year since Serbian soldiers burnt school books and destroyed many of the classrooms.

When I visited the school last Thursday morning, teachers and parents were all doing their bit to help paint the gymnasium so children had the basic facilities to play basketball and football.

Yet, there's no looking back for headmaster Tahir Krasniqi and his team of dedicated teachers.

Mr Krasniqi has been head for the last six years and is visibly very proud of his pupils, many of whom will now get the chance of a good education and the chance to go to Pristina University. He explained: "The schoolchildren who come to this school are aged between seven years old and 15. And here they learn all subjects from maths, science, history -- everything.

"This is very different some years ago. In 1991 The Serbs stopped giving money to Albanian students and teachers. Basically, they stopped everything."

Thankfully, things are different now. Only last week British troops packed scores of donated computers in to a truck and delivered them to the school.

Now, the pupils and teachers of Shkola Filore want to say a big thank you to British families who helped them in their time of need.

Mr Krasniqi added: "We all would like to say a big thank you to families in Britain for all their help and kindness.

"We would like to start a pen-pal scheme with any schools in Preston. Maybe there could be a chance of an exchange programme where English pupils can come and visit here. We would like that very much as our heart is very big for everyone."

If you or your school would like to write to pupils from Shkola Filore the address is Shkola Filore, Gjergi Fishta, Pristina.