A NORTH-EAST student with links to Nepal was delighted by the support shown by classmates following the earthquake that recently rocked the country.

Sam Kitson, 15, of Polam Hall School in Darlington, spent every school holiday in Nepal where both his parents were working as doctors alongside Ghurkas from the British Army.

Sam shared his experiences of the country with his peers at a school assembly, telling them of a trek to a village in the Langtang Valley which is now totally devastated with more than 200 people reported killed.

The presentation inspired the pupils to set about raising money to help those affected by the disaster and after organising various events, the youngsters raised £913.

The money will go to PHASE (Practical Help Achieving Self Empowerment), a charity working locally on the ground in Nepal,

It will be sent to the charity via Sam’s parents, Drs Martin Kitson and Susie Walden, who are both now back in the UK and working as GPs in Catterick and Darlington.