THE generosity of a Herefordshire community has smashed a charity fundraising target.

Fundraisers Kington Lions had initially hoped to raise enough money to purchase a 'school-in-a-box' through the sale of items in the community shop and cash donations.

Filled with materials including pencils, protractors, exercise books, scissors, erasers, a solar/wind-up radio, an inflatable globe for geography lessons, the school in a box is designed to supply an entire classroom of at least 40 children in times of conflict.

But the amount raised through the initiative has been so great that the Lions have been able to purchase five of the kits, which will be distributed by UNICEF to pupils in disaster zones.

Marilyn Osborne, from Kington Lions, said: "We would like to say a huge thank you to all the people who bought items from the community shop and donated cash.

"After other agencies have helped with nappies, milk, food and tents etc there is a need to educate the many children who are left without schooling, and so a little part of Kington could end up anywhere in the world.

"Kington and the surrounding area people have done us proud by supporting us."

The Kington Lions meet every other Wednesday evening at 7pm at The Burton Hotel.