A BOLTON school enjoyed a lunchtime ‘trolley dash’ around a toy shop after raising thousands for charity with a sponsored silence.

Not one of the125 pupils in Year 7 uttered a word for 24 hours, knowing that they would be bringing in cash to give needy children a happy Christmas.

In the end the girls raised £4,448 to spend on toys for Christmas presents.

Charity representatives from each form in Year 7 of Bolton School Girls’ Division headed to Smyths Toy Store at Middlebrook where they made sure they stuck to their remit of buying age-specific gifts and kept within the budget allocated to each team.

Nikki Patel, aged 11, said: “The sponsored silence was really hard.

"However, we found ways to communicate through notepads, whiteboards and iPads, although we could not use our phones. It was good to know that it was all for a good cause.”

The large haul of gifts will now be handed over to Hits Radio’s Mission Christmas Cash for Kids Appeal, which is collecting presents that will be handed out to less fortunate children across the North West.

Year tutor Mrs Hollyoak said: “The girls were excellent in executing the trolley dash – very organised! They have done really well to raise so much money.

“I think some girls found the sponsored silence harder than others but they got through it as they know the gifts will spread a little joy this Christmas.

"However, I think my teaching colleagues enjoyed the day!”

The 24-hour sponsored silence was held earlier in the term.