PUPILS and their families at Rowde Academy responded to a plea by classmate Jess Worrow to fill shoeboxes with goodies for underprivileged children across the world.

Jess, six, asked her teachers if the school could collect shoeboxes for the Operation Christmas Child appeal.

Lorraine Colquhoun, headteacher, said: “Jess takes part in Operation Christmas Child at home and it was something she wanted the school to do. She suggested we try to get 50 boxes, but I said let’s see if we can get 100. In the end we got 120 boxes. Jess is delighted and I’m so proud of the children. My office was like Santa’s grotto with all the shoeboxes piled up.”