SCHOOLCHILDREN and business people in Craven have been thanked by members of a Settle-based charity for helping to rebuild a primary school destroyed by an earthquake in Nepal.

Members of Kids at School in Nepal (KASIN) have announced that a new school in the remote village of Dhadakharka has just been completed – just in time to beat the summer monsoon season.

The charity's chairwoman, Liz Wherity, said: "We have been touched by the generosity of the people of Craven.

"We have had some incredible support from local businesses, Rotary Clubs and many schools.

"We have just returned from a visit to Bradley School, where we were presented with a cheque from the children.

"They have held bun sales, organised a teddy bears' picnic and held a disco to raise money for us. One key stage one pupil had even sold her teddies to raise funds.

"Many other schools have also contributed very generously, including Skipton's Water Street, Glusburn School and Ermysted’s."

She said it had been "a race against time" to finish the school, which is in a remote part of the country, with work only starting in February.

KASIN has raised more than £40,000 since April – enough to complete a six-classroom block and provide furniture and equipment. The charity is now raising money for the remaining two-room block, which includes a library.

Nepal was devastated by the earthquake, which killed more than 14,000 people, in April last year, and several British and European charities are helping to rebuild the stricken country.