CREATIVE pupils at an East Lancashire primary school made adorable trinkets to raise money to adopt three koalas caught up in the Australian bushfires.

Ninety pupils, in years one and two at St Leonards Church of England Primary School in Padiham, worked for more than a week to create koala-themed items for a table-top sale which raised £410.

Not only did the pupils, aged between five and seven, have enough money to adopt a koala for each of the three classes that took part, there was some left to send to the Australian Bushfire Appeal.

Teacher Rachel Bradley, who organised the event, said: “I was preparing a series of geography lessons and the curriculum meant we had to compare England to another country outside Europe.

“As I was preparing it, the television news was constantly feeding us with the disastrous results of the fires in Australia and, in particular, the effects on wildlife.

“With an estimated 1.25 billion animals being killed, including 30 per cent of the koala population in the mid-North coast of New South Wales, I thought it was an ideal project to put before the children.

“They can learn about the country and understand the devastating effect of the fires on such cute animals as the koala bear.

“All the Key Stage One teachers have worked together and the children have been making small cushions shaped like koala faces, pompom key fobs with koala faces, pot plants with a kangaroo, friendship bracelets, and an Australian favourite - Anzac biscuits.

“Parents and friends of the school were invited to the sale on Wednesday afternoon and we were delighted with what the children were able to raise.”

Claire Marquis, Key Stage One leader, said: “This was a wonderful effort by all and enabled us to show the children that even if the disaster is in a country as far away as Australia, we can help a little.”

To adopt a koala caught up in the disaster, visit donate.wwf.org.au/adopt/koala