AMBITIOUS plans for a school's future have been given a major boost - by staff members.

Staff from St Martin's Ampleforth School in North Yorkshire have raised £40,000 in a sponsored cycle race from Land's End to Ampleforth.

The race saw the school's headmaster Nick Higham and head of pre-prep Mark Harrison compete with procurator Peter Bryan and fundraising director Jozef Mycielski.

At the end of the gruelling 530-mile ride through everything that the British weather could throw at them, it was the teaching team that made it home first.

The two teams took four-and-a-half days to cycle from the tip of England back to North Yorkshire to raise money for a new stage in the school's sports hall.

On the final leg of their journey, they were met by more than 40 pupils, parents, teachers and other supporters in the village of Hovingham.

The group then travelled the last three miles of the journey to the Fairfax Arms, Gilling East, where more people had gathered.

Mr Higham said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from sponsors and other well-wishers. We covered more than 100 miles per day and spent more than ten hours a day in the saddle - but it was well worth it.

"The funds will be used to create a fully-equipped stage in our sports hall for plays, concerts and celebrations. The new facility will become a fabulous facility for the school and local community."