CHILDREN at Langley Fitzurse Primary School were left in a spin as they performed the annual maypole dance and raised more than £700 in the process.

Almost 200 children, parents and residents of Kington Langley attended the popular event where youngsters from Years 3 and 4 performed in the traditional routine.

Organised by the school’s parent-teacher association (PTA), a total of £720 was raised from the event on Friday (May 5) where there were also stalls such as metal detecting, a plant sale and racetrack for toy cars.

Liz Howe, administrator at Langley Fitzurse, said: “It was really good, we had lots of people there and I think we raised a record amount of money.

“It started off as a plant sale and it’s probably been going in its current form for four years.

“The children love performing and I think people love to see the kids doing the maypole.

“It’s quite a long-standing tradition of the school and there used to be a procession around the village.

“My husband, Steve, he’s a folk musician and happened to be getting rid of our canal boat so the first maypole at the school was the mast from the boat.

“He comes in for about five or six weeks and has an hour lesson with the Year 3 and 4 children, the children love it and so do the parents.

“The money will go to various school projects, we’re still buying laptops for the school and it will pay for coaches for school outings.”