Pupils at Buckfastleigh Primary School have handed over more than £300 to help their African counterparts buy books.

Rotarian Bruce McLellan visited the children and was presented with a cheque for SDA Lower School in Sierra Leone where efforts to build a library are under way.

It has ordered books but they are locked in a warehouse owing to a lack of funds to have them shipped out.

The money which will help release them was earned by the year six class at Buckfastleigh before Christmas. Groups of five or six were each given £10 and urged to create their own profitable businesses.

Among their schemes were stalls at their December 1 Advent evening in the town hall selling hot chocolates, mini Christmas cakes and jewellery.

Having received the cheque from Lottie Woods, Mr McLellan said: 'I'm very grateful for this money, you have done a wonderful thing. You have raised money for children less fortunate than you.'

The Buckfastleigh children have pledged to continue with their charitable business ideas.