A GROUP of school children who took part in the Great North Run have raised £1,400 for a local hospice.

The pupils from Abbey Road Infants and Junior Schools, in Darlington, took part in the Junior and Mini Great North Run categories to support St Teresa’s Hospice.

The children got the chance to see some of their Olympic idols, including Mo Farah, at the event, which they ran after training with their parents.

The school co-ordinated the run with the help of parent Jonathan Berry, whose sons Sam and Joe, ten, have previously taken part in the Junior Great North Run for fun.

The boys’ mother, Ellen, said: “Sam and Joe had done the run, but we wanted to do it for a worthwhile cause this year. The children all trained individually with their parents at home, but they all completed the run and had a great day.

“It’s wonderful that the school chose St Teresa’s because it’s such a wonderful cause in the local area.”

The children raised £1,453 in sponsorship, with another £500 donated by Barclays Bank.

The children who took part were: Dominic Ball, Evie Ball, Joe Berry, Sam Berry, Thomas Blackmore, Daniel Buckle, James Garlic, James Graham, Kate Graham, Sam Graham, Millie Hall, Sam Johnson, Charlotte Laver, Izzy Laver, Luke Pattison, India Pentland, Catherine Roberts, Elizabeth Roberts, James Roberts, Joshua Robson, Sophie Robson, Harry Sanderson, Sophie Sparrow-Woods, Eleanor Westlake, Isabel Westlake and Matthew White.