SCHOOLCHILDREN donned their trainers to join an Army sergeant on a fundraising marathon.

Pete Fyfe, a staff sergeant at the Army Foundation College, in Harrogate, ran 41 miles in six hours to raise funds for New Park Primary School, in the town.

He has a six-year-old daughter, Caitlin, who attends the school, and a five-year-old son, Kieran, who will start there next half-term.

Children from the school came to see him start the run, round the college's physical fitness assessment course, then visited him again in the middle of the day before returning to run with him and cheer him on to the finish.

"The school desperately needs more computers and IT equipment," said Staff Sgt Fyfe, a member of the military staff at the college's Burma Company, which trains 16-year-olds.

"It was hard work, but I kept thinking of the kids and it was a great boost when they came to join me for parts of the run.

"I've no blisters but my head and arms are very sunburned - I'll look great in my Celtic top."

School headteacher Rod Prydderch said: "He's an absolute star - I have had children queuing up all day to go and support him on his run.

"And it had nothing to do with missing maths, they just wanted to cheer on Staff Sergeant Fyfe.

The run has given the school more than £5,000, which the school plans to use to buy two computers, as well as whiteboards and projectors.