PUPILS at a primary school have raised £250 towards a new lifeboat for the town.

The children of Fairfield Primary School in Penarth have raised the funds to boost the RNLI appeal as it gets ever closer to its target.

The appeal, supported by the Penarth Times, aims to raise £52,000 for a new D Class boat to help the volunteer crew continue to save lives at sea.

The pupils held collections at the recent Christmas play which amounted to £250.

Jason Dunlop the lifeboat operations manager for Penarth RNLI said events like these raise the importance of sea safety amongst the younger population which can only be a good thing and that the parents and children who supported the collection deserve a special thanks.

He said: "On behalf of the crew at Penarth lifeboat station, I would like to thank the pupils, staff and parents at Fairfield Primary School for this fine donation.

"We are edging closer to our target for the new lifeboat.

"This is yet another example of our local community coming together to support the RNLI station and the work that it does saving lives at sea.

The current total stands at more than £44,500 which is 85 per cent of its target.

Please help us raise the money by getting involved.

No matter how big or small your fundraising event or idea, let us know and we will help publicise it.

We will also try to cover as many events as possible.

Anyone who helps raise money will get special recognition with a Penarth Times certificate and be mentioned in a roll call which will be published regularly.

Send any fundraising ideas to reporter Anthony Lewis at penarthtimes@penarthtimes.co.uk or contact the appeal team at penarth@rnli.org.uk

To donate directly send a cheque made payable to Penarth Lifeboat Appeal to Penarth Lifeboat Station, The Esplanade, Penarth, CF64 3AU.

You can also donate online by visiting www.justgiving.com/fundraising/penarthlifeboatappeal1.