CHILDREN have been collecting their headteacher's weight in coins to donate to a Northwich charity.

Brothers Anton and Lucas Ball, aged 11 and nine, were inspired by their own experiences to plan the pound (£) for pound (lb) challenge at The Grange Junior School in aid of The Joshua Tree.

Anton was diagnosed with a blood disorder when he was seven and had a bone marrow transplant when he was eight.

Sara Wheater, from The Joshua Tree, said: "Although The Joshua Tree hadn’t established its support centre at that time, both Anton and his brother, Lucas, understand the isolation from their friends that children with cancer feel, the gruelling treatment that they face, and the enormous benefit of a centre, away from the hospital, that can provide support, counselling and an understanding friend and are great supporters of the charity today."

Anton and Lucas asked fellow pupils to bring in loose change from their parents in a bid to match the weight of headteacher Guy Rands.

Sara said: "Over the course of the half term, the pennies were collected and, by the time the fundraiser was brought to a close on the last day of the half term, they had collected just over £300 – which the school emphasises is a lot more than Mr Rands’s weight!"

The Joshua Tree currently has a support centre in Venables Road and has launched its #DigDeep campaign to raise the £250,000 needed to build a permanent purpose-built centre in Sandiway.