Agroup of children need help in raising funds for an activity holiday in the Lake District.

The youngsters are part of a unit at Bishopsgarth School, Stockton, which looks after 55 pupils with a range of special educational needs.

Some have physical disabilities, due to illnesses including muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or because they have been in a road accident.

Others have medical conditions, which have serious effects upon their daily life, such as epilepsy and Aspergers Syndrome.

All of the children have moderate learning difficulties - some have severe difficulties.

A number of pupils in the unit need help from adults for personal care needs and feeding.

In May next year, staff are taking a group of children from the unit to the Calvert Trust Centre, in the Lake District, for a week.

The activities there include rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, pony trekking, archery and hill walks.

Tracey Crofts, unit manager at the school said: "Fees are £185 per person and many of the families we work with cannot afford to meet this cost therefore we are seeking support.

"We also need to raise funds for transport costs."

The school serves the community of north-west Stockton, with a large majority of the pupils coming from the Hardwick estate.

Ms Crofts said: "The estate is an area experiencing considerable social and economic deprivation, where the level of unemployment is high. An increasing number of the pupils experience an unstable pattern of life due to poverty, ill-health or considerable changes in their family relationships.

"We would be most grateful if anyone could make a donation towards the cost of the residential visit.

"This could be by subsiding a child's place on the trip or donating prizes that we could use for raffles or tombolas."

Anyone who can help should call Ms Crofts on (01642) 586262