CHILDREN at a Darlington primary school are hoping to help a community in a developing country create a better sanitation system.

The youngsters at Harrowgate Hill Junior School already sponsor two children in Malawi, Happy Munthali and Tiwonge Nzima.

Funds are sent from the school, via the Christian Children's Fund, to help pay for education and medicines.

Now, the pupils are donating £1,000, mostly from their own pocket money, to help build a water pipeline from the mountains to the villages near Mzuzu, where the children live, to provide a supply of safe drinking water.

Water-borne diseases are among the most serious problems faced by people in the developing world, where cholera and typhus are endemic.

Pupils have been saving their pocket money and taking small amounts into the school each week, as well as running fundraising events in their own time.

The youngsters have collected more than £2,000, but like to keep money back for emergencies. In the past their fund has paid for operations for their sponsor children.

Teacher Graham Temby said: "We need to keep a fund for emergencies, like operations."