HUNDREDS of kind-hearted children put on their dancing boots and helped raise more than £1,000 for needy charities.

About 200 pupils took part in a sponsored line dance at St Alphonsus RC Primary School in Middlesbrough to raise the cash for children's hospice Zoe's Place and the overseas aid charity Cafod. Pupils also took part in a sponsored Follow My Leader in the playground.

Representatives from both charities were yesterday handed cheques for £500 following the fundraising efforts at the school in North Ormesby.

The Normanby-based hospice, which opened earlier this year, provides care for children and babies up to the age of five with life-threatening or limiting illnesses.

Zoe's Place, which has five cots in individual rooms, is only the second of its kind in the country and is run by the Life Charity.

Sheila Holioak, religious education organiser at the school, said yesterday: "We never thought we would be able to raise this much money, but the kids looked at it as a competition and kept beating the targets.

"We are so proud of them all."