CHILDREN at a primary school held a charity event to raise money for the Madeleine McCann Appeal.

Pupils at Lanchester EP Primary School, in County Durham, have been moved by the search for the missing four-year-old girl.

She was taken from her bedroom at a Portuguese resort while her parents ate at a nearby restaurant.

Youngsters organised an event called the Wacky Hair Day for pupils and staff at the school yesterday and raised £425 for the campaign to find her.

Deputy headteacher Deb Murphy said: "It was suggested by one of the parents and the children were really taken by the idea.

"They are very much aware of Madeleine and make comments about her so they definitely know what is going on."

The event was co-ordinated by the school's social events committee made up girls who are in year six.

Year two teacher Peter Taylor had his head shaved to raise money for the appeal.

The girls got hairdressers from the village to come in to decide who had the most bonkers barnet.

The winners were Natalia Smith, ten, from Tanfield, and seven-year-old Casey Coxon, from Lanchester.