STAPLES, the office supplies retailer that has a branch in Worcester, has led a fund-raising drive to create the UK's longest paper chain to raise funds for children's charity ChildLine.

The Worcester store on Shrub Hill Retail Park helped to raise more than £46,000 thanks to the number of customers at shops of the 137 Staples shops throughout the UK who pledged to buy individual links in the chain for £1.

The record-breaking chain reaches 17 times the height of the Eiffel Tower, 57 times the height of Big Ben and 10 times the Sears Tower in Chicago, the world's tallest skyscraper.

At 3.5 miles long, constructed from links measuring approximately 5cm (2in) in length, the chain will fund the equivalent of 29 trained counsellors for a year.

Founding president Esther Rantzen congratulated staff and customers of the store for the achievement.

She said: "What a superb idea to denote the amount of funds raised using a paper chain. "It's created such a marvellous visual reference and really puts into perspective the phenomenal effort that Staples stores and customers have made over the past few weeks.

"I am absolutely delighted and want to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who has donated.

"It's simply fantastic!"