A marathon effort for friend jasmine

Pupils at a Glastonbury school got their running shoes on lastweek to raise money for Meningitis UK.

Staff and pupils at St Benedict's School ran 400 miles to helpraise money for the charity, in the wake of Jasmine Clare's deathfrom the disease at the beginning of the year.

Jasmine had been a pupil at St John's Infant School in the town.

Jasmine's mother, Dina, was on hand to begin proceedings bystarting the first lap of the school field when she blew a whistleat 9 am. The final laps were completed at 3pm, by which time thechildren and staff were exhausted but proud of their efforts.

"The initial target had been to run a total of 100 miles aroundthe field but the enthusiasm and energy of all involved resulted ina final total of 400 miles," said Jane Neale.

"To date, this fantastic effort by the staff and pupils raised afigure fast approaching Pounds 1,000."