NURSERY school children are looking forward to a visit from Cleveland firefighters who are calling to collect cash raised by the youngsters for the New York Fire Department (NYFD).

Young fundraisers from the Lonsdale Nursery, in Grange Road, Hartlepool, collected £145 for the NYFD on the anniversary of September 11, by dressing up in red, white and blue clothes for the day.

The 56-place nursery, which also held a minute's silence to commemorate the occasion, is keen to add its contribution to the worldwide fundraising events, through a presentation to local firefighters from Stranton Station.

Nursery team leader Kelly Cairns, who organised the fundraising, said: "We wanted to do our bit on the anniversary of September 11 and the children are looking forward to meeting the firefighters who are coming to collect the cash they raised for New York."

Station Officer David Hansford, brigade secretary of the Firefighters' Benevolent Fund said: "We have close links with colleagues in New York and we are delighted to accept this donation from the nursery, which we will send to New York on their behalf."