BOYS at Bolton School celebrated this year's World Book Day and aimed to raise more than £1,000 when they took part in a sponsored read.

More than 250 boys aged 11 to 13 spent the past three weeks reading as many books as possible - and got family and friends to sponsor them.

The money raised will go to Sargent Cancer Care for Children and The Roald Dahl Foundation, which aim to raise a million pounds a year for children suffering from cancer, Hodgkin's disease, leukaemia, epilepsy, blood disorders or acquired brain injury.

Librarian Helen Briggs said the boys had been really enthusiastic and she had been amazed at how many books were borrowed from the school library: "Whoever said 'boys don't read' hasn't met our pupils," she said.

Year 7 pupil Connor Benson, who read 16 books, said the most popular author in school was Anthony Harowitz.

He said: "Everyone wants to read the Alex Rider series."