SOUTHBROOM Infants School is several steps nearer to achieving its bid to get the school's 190 pupils fit and healthy, after a sponsored run around the school raised around £2,000 towards the £15,000 needed for an all-weather running track.

The pupils gathered in the school playground on Thursday morning in their sports kit to take part, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The school on The Green in Devizes is aiming to raise £15,000 to pay for a purpose-built running track so that pupils can take part in the national Daily Mile initiative, which encourages younger children to be more physically active.

Caroline Jackson, head teacher of Southbroom Infants, said: “It went really well, all of the children had smiles on their faces. We were hoping to raise £7,000 for the all-weather track, hopefully from this event we will have raised £2,000.

"We have also received money from the Friends of Southbroom Infants and also put back some of the school’s money to pay for the track. Because we will be paying for a special porous surface the works are going to cost £15,000 altogether, which isn’t cheap.”

The Daily Mile, a scheme that started in Scotland, will see the whole school running a mile every morning to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“The idea was to improve the health of the children, and if we have the track it means that they can run no matter what the weather, they can run it in their school uniform and won’t need to do it in their sports kits.

"It is about building the fitness levels of the children up ensure they have a healthy life at a young age,” added Mrs Jackson.