STUDENTS have stunned a national charity after raising more than £18,000 in one day.

Park View Community School, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, raised the money last Friday for the BBC's Children in Need appeal.

The efforts of the 300 sixth form students places the school as one of the most generous in Britain.

Head of sixth form John Anderson said: "I was humbled by the effort and team spirit our young people showed.

"I am proud to be associated with such caring and enthusiastic students prepared to go the extra mile."

Last year, the school held a similar drive that raised £14,000 for the charity, but that was after bottled gas supplier BOC promised to double whatever the school made.

Most of this year's money was raised through street collections, when all 300 students put on fancy dress and were sent out to various parts of the North-East.

To keep them warm in the near freezing conditions, Church's Catering - across the road from the school, in Church Chare - provided the youngsters with free hot drinks and soup all day.

The students also raised about £1,000 with three sell-out shows in the school theatre and co-ordinated activities with 1,150 younger pupils at the school, including dunking teachers in a bath.

Last night, the appeal organisers said the donation was one of the biggest received from a school.

A spokeswoman for the BBC said: "It is certainly a huge amount of money and a fabulous achievement.

"We would like to say a massive thank-you to everyone involved in raising such a colossal sum for Children in Need."