YOUNGSTERS at an East Lancashire school have raised more than £4,000 for the North West Air Ambulance in memory of a popular pupil.

Pupils at Walton High School, Oxford Road, Nelson, got their running trainers on and some were even in fancy dress as they took part in a sponsored run in memory of Rachel Stewart, who died last year after falling from a tree.

And they were flying high at the end of it after raising £4,239.75.

Lynda Brislin, chief executive of the NWAA, said the charity was grateful for the school helping raise the £1.3million it needed each year to remain in service.

She said: "It costs £3,600 a day to keep flying and we can fly up to six missions every day.

"These children have given a number of people an extra chance of surviving.

"It is a staggering amount that was raised and the pupils appear to have had a great deal of fun doing the sponsored event."

Kate Hesketh, head of Year Nine, helped organise the event after pupils raised the idea.

She revealed initial plans were to raise £800, the amount it costs to run the air ambulance for an hour, but they later set a new target of £2,500, which is a day's running costs.

Mrs Hesketh said: "It was fantastic. There were over 140 kids running and we had some dressed in high heels, evening dresses, a Cinderella, England footballers, people with trolleys and three-legged racers.

"It was a fun morning and a celebration of a life."

Rachel, 12, died last April after falling from a tree while bird watching in fields behind Fisher-More High School, Colne.

The race was the idea of 9G pupil Shaunna Lawrence who was one of Rachel's best friends.

Rachel's parents, Grahame and Arlene, of Hollins Road, Nelson, also attended along with other family members.

Grahame said: "It's just over a year since it happened and when you see kids out playing you think they've all forgotten about her.

"But to know they haven't and that they wanted to do something like this in her memory, we found it very touching."