VILLAGERS who have earned the gratitude of an African community by helping to raise money to build a school have dug deep to raise more funds.

By holding a barbecue in the grounds of a village cottage, residents of Sadberge, near Darlington, raised £2,700 to add to about £3,000 which had already been used in the Kenyan project.

Residents originally started fundraising after being told of the plight of the people of Mwamambi by resident Millie Scaife, whose sister and brother-in-law had decided to help out.

John and Cynthia Price, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, had originally hoped to rebuild a nursery school at the small village, 30 miles from Mombasa, but ended up building a new school, which was named after the English village.

And now, the money raised at the latest barbecue, on June 22, will be used to add two further classrooms to Mwamambi's Sadberge School.

Mr Price said the money was the biggest single amount ever donated to the project.

"It was a fantastic night and they raised a superb amount," he said.

"We have never had anything that big before."

It is hoped the barbecue will become an annual event.