STUDENTS at a Darlington school are to perform a short version of a Shakespeare play.

Pupils at Carmel RC College will be performing a 30-minute version of Much Ado About Nothing at the Arc, in Stockton, on Tuesday.

The play, which involves students from years seven to 11, will be part of the Shakespeare Schools Festival, which is an arts-education initiative to give students between the ages of 11 and 16 the opportunity to perform a half-hour production of Shakespeare in their local professional theatre.

There will also be a matinee performance of the play for students at the college on Wednesday, and a performance for friends and families on Thursday evening. For ticket information, call the college on 01325-254525.

The college welcomed Darlington's MP yesterday to talk about its latest charity efforts.

Alan Milburn and Sister Deirdre Mullan helped celebrate the latest stage in a fundraising project for Cambodia.

Sister Deirdre, director of Mercy Global Concern and representative of the Mercy International Association at the United Nations, has co-ordinated the project to raise funds to build a school in Tmor Keo, in Cambodia.

Students at Carmel have been involved in the project since they were visited last year by two students from St Cecilia's College, in Derry, who had raised enough funds to build three classrooms in the Cambodian school.

Activities which have taken place over the past year to help raise money have included a Fair Trade shop, cake sales, non-uniform days and a sponsored leg wax.

Azzurri, the college's supplier of networking solutions, is also helping to raise funds by undertaking a charity coast-to-coast bike ride.

Pupils handed over a £4,000 cheque for the project to Mr Milburn and Sister Deirdre.

Fundraising will continue at the college and will be the main focus throughout Lent.