SCHOOLS south Shropshire raised over £750 in just one day to help save a leisure and arts centre in Bishop's Castle.

All proceeds are being donated to the “Don’t let the SpArC go out” campaign.

Schools in the Learning Trust did a ‘Dress Down Friday.’

Students were asked to ‘dress down’ and come to in a SpArC related dress and raise funds for the event.

They arrived in a wide variety of dress – many with a sporting theme. But some of the more amazing and amusing costumes were related to the theatre that is also part of the SpArC complex.

Schools that took part were: Norbury Primary School, St George’s Primary School, Lydbury North Primary School, Newcastle Primary School, Stiperstones Primary School and the Community College.

“This is a fantastic achievement,” said Alan Doust, head teacher at the Community College in Bishop's Castle.

“Such a large amount gathered in one day. We are all delighted to be able to help SpArC in this way. This achievement follows hard on the heels of our own students who swam 15 miles in just one hour for the same cause and raised nearly £1,000.

“The schools are right behind the campaign to save our sports and leisure centre and there are many events that students are coming up with themselves to help out, from cake sales to penalty shoot-outs.”

The ‘Don’t let the SpArC go out’ campaign is in response to announcements made by Shropshire County Council in January that all funding for sports centres would cease in March 2017.

This effectively means the centre at Bishop’s Castle will close unless funds are generated to keep it open. The total sum raised for the campaign so far exceeds £25,000.