SCHOOLCHILDREN in North Yorkshire have proved they are real cool cats with a special fundraiser.

Pupils at Lady Lumley's School, Pickering and Welburn County Primary, near Malton, donned sunglasses as part of the Guide Dogs For The Blind fundraising "shades for the day" event.

Jackson Marshall, headteacher at Welburn, said the idea was dreamed up by the youngest of the 73 children.

"The reception and Year One class came up with the idea," she explained.

"They went round the other classes and explained why they wanted to support the guide dogs and told them about shades for a day." Trevor Boag, from Lady Lumley's, said the pupils raised more than £300 during their shades and non-uniform day.

The cash will be divided between The Guide Dogs For The Blind Association and the school's plans to build a new cycle compound, which should be complete in the autumn. Mr Boag said: "The pupil and staff questionnaire survey that accompanied the school's travel plan revealed that around 100 young people - and teachers - would travel to school by bike if a new facility was both secure and waterproof, which is double the number of current cyclists."

Updated: 10:12 Monday, July 21, 2003