A CHARITY is inviting people to have a ball and help improve facilities for children with learning difficulties.

The Children's Hope Foundation is backing a fundraising drive to pay for a new hydrother-apy pool at Sunningdale School, in Springwell, Sunderland.

The school caters for youngsters from Tyne and Wear who have profound, severe and multiple learning difficulties.

The existing pool is a valuable resource for the school, but it needs to be improved to meet the high demand to use it.

The school has launched the Oasis Project to raise the money to pay for the work.

The Children's Hope Foundation is holding the Fairground Ball on Saturday, June 30, at the city's Roker Hotel to boost the appeal.

A charity spokesman said: "Their inadequate current pool only caters for two children and their supporters at any time.

"There are also no suitable changing facilities for the children. Yet the pool is of huge importance to the treatment of these children and is in constant use.

"With funds raised through the Oasis Project the school aims to create a new pool which will be state-of-the-art.

"It will have specialised lighting, sound effects, adequate changing facilities, showers, hoists and a fully interactive system which gives the children the opportunity to control their own environment.'' The ball will run from 8pm to 2am and will feature a gourmet meal, rock 'n' roll band and champagne disco.

Tickets for the event cost £25 and can be obtained by ringing the foundation, on 0191-421 0565.