SIXTH form students from Chester-le-Street have raised enough money to feed and clothe an Indian family for life.

Members of the Qualitea project, at Roseberry Sports and Community College, have been selling Fair Trade tea from the Nilgiri Hills, in southern India.

It is harvested by the Adivasi, the indigenous people, who supply it to the students, who in turn sell it at parents' evenings and other events.

The students have also organised fundraising events and this week gave more £500 to Stan and Mari Thekaekara, who work with the tea growers.

Mr Thekaekara said it was enough money to sow an acre of tea plants, which, after three years, would create enough tea to sustain a family of five or six people for the rest of their lives.

He said: "It is great that the kids are concerned about people less fortunate than themselves. When we asked why, they said they wanted to help and make a difference.

"We hope that when people start learning these things very young, you will build up a generation who care about others."