COMEDIAN Russ Abbot banged the drums at a North-East school yesterday, to help celebrate pupils hitting a fundraising target.

The TV personality, who is starring in the musical, The Producers, at the Sunderland Empire, joined pupils in celebrating raising £16,000 for a minibus.

Abbot, who played lead drums in the comedy pop group The Black Abbots, dropped in on Sunningdale School, in Sunderland, which has also just opened a Creative Arts Learning Centre.