BOOKS from a closed school’s library will help the education of youngsters in a South African township.

About 4,000, mostly fiction, titles are being shipped from the North-East to the fishing village of Ganbaai in the Western Cape.

The books, from Roseberry Community College and Sixth Form, at Newfield, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, will be taken to two primary schools that have far fewer educational resources than their British counterparts.

The shipment has been organised by former union official Jack Doyle, a leading member of the North Durham Labour Party who holidays in South Africa with his wife Anita and has got involved with projects out there.

He recently held a fundp0raising evening that brought in £3,000 to buy equipment such as white boards for the schools.

Mr Doyle said some of the money would have been spent on books but a friend contacted the acting head of Roseberry, Justin Hawgood, who offered the stock from the library.

The school has been closed by Durham County Council despite a campaign by parents to keep it open.

Mr Doyle said: “The schools do not get much state funding for educational resources and have much less than a school here has.

“I firmly believe that they route out of poverty is education and I am passionate about helping them achieve that.”

Mr Doyle said he had received “fantastic” generosity and support from the Port of Tyne, Liverpool company Warrens and 14 members of Derwentside Rotary Club and North Durham Labour Party who packed the books into crates.

He is trying to raise £2,500 to pay the shipping costs.

Anyone who wants to donate can get more information by calling Mr Doyle on 07756 515566 or 0191-388 1884.