Schoolchildren in Tilehurst have raised more than £1,100 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

During the last term, Year 6 pupils from St Michael’s Primary School, Dee Road, have been studying the heart and circulatory system.

To mark the conclusion of the topic, 60 children took part in a special day of heart-themed fundraising activities.

The children organised a series of different stalls selling ‘blood shakes’ and heart shaped cakes as well as challenging their classmates with a series of games such as finding a sheep’s heart in a box filled with mystery items.

Stefan Witkowski, Year 6 teacher at the school, said: "The children worked very hard in the run-up to the event to make all the items for the different stalls and bringing in blenders from home to make the healthy milk shakes, or blood shakes, as we called them.

"The children showed huge enthusiasm to organise a successful event and raise money to support such an important charity.

"After the event, the children were extremely surprised and happy with the total amount of money raised.

"Having studied blood and the heart for many weeks, this was a really great way for the pupils to combine their learning with some fun and raise money for a good cause."

In Reading alone, there are more than 15,000 people living with heart and circulatory diseases, with almost 260 people losing their lives to these conditions each year.

The BHF funds £100m research each year into all heart and circulatory conditions, including heart diseases, stroke and vascular dementia, along with risk factors including diabetes.

Michelle Bowdidge, fundraising manager for the BHF, said: "I was lucky enough to be able to attend the fundraising day.

"I was so impressed by the children’s invention and all the different heart related games and fundraising ideas they’d come up with.

"We’re incredibly grateful for all the effort the children at St Michael’s put in to this event, and all the money that they helped to raise.

"Without this sort of support we would not be able to power our life-saving research and beat heartbreak forever."

For more information about how to fundraise for the BHF visit www.bhf.org.uk/localfundraising or contact Michelle Bowdidge by emailing bowdidgem@bhf.org.uk or calling 07384464709.