AN IRAQI school that has been devastated as a result of the Gulf War is drawing strength from an unlikely source -- a primary school in Leigh.

Youngsters from Leigh St Peter's Junior School have been helping Ashkareen Primary School in war torn Basra to start delivering lessons again by sending them money for basic essentials such as pencils, pens and exercise books.

The two schools have struck up a correspondence whereby the children can learn about culture, traditions and schools that are radically different from their own.

St Peter's youngsters have been learning what life is like in a country shaken by War and still subject to outbreaks of violence, unrest and bombing, while Iraqi youngsters have been learning what life is like in Leigh.

Ashkareen Primary School for Girls is located in the Ar Rabbat district of Basra near the Shatt Al Arab river. The school educates up to 396 girls between the ages of six to 12 years.

The school building was originally built in 1949 and is one of the few to survive shelling during the Iran-Iraq war of 1980 - 88.

After the British Forces had captured Basra, looters were quick to break into the school building and stole everything that they could. this included things like telephones, water tanks, fans, and they smashed all the windows.

After the War the school threw away most of the text books with pictures of evil dictator Saddam Hussein in them, leaving the school with a small library with very few books.

Most pupils have to buy their own books and stationery. They have very little money to buy things like books.

Three schools currently share the same school building, operating on a shift system to ensure there is enough room for everybody.

Since October an extensive rebuilding programme has been taking place at the Basra school. The school is now being refurbished and plans are afoot to replace everything that has been damaged or stolen.

The whole school is to be repainted, air conditioning and fans will be put in place and new water tanks are going to be put up on the roof. A new septic tank and toilet block will also replace the old facilities.

During the construction work pupils had to be sent home while the classrooms were painted.

St Peter's children have sent the Basra school a cheque that amounted to more than 200 dollars. This enabled the school to give every poor pupil for two schools two pencils, a ruler, two pens, a rubber and two exercise books.

The two schools came into contact after Captain Richard Osborne from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment visited Ashkareen School and invited them to join the school twinning project.

St Peter's head, Pat Jolley, said: "The children have been very excited about it. It has made them more aware of others who are not as fortunate as themselves.

"It has also helped them to learn geography, letter writing and about another culture and way of life.

"It's not just about re-building buildings, but re-building relationships."