AN auction of promises has raised £5,500 for Easton Royal School's building appeal.

The £5-a-ticket event, held in Pewsey's Bouverie Hall on Saturday, was a sell-out.

One of the organisers, Ruth Day, said everyone was delighted. "We got twice as much as we expected for many of the smaller lots while some of the things we thought would go for a lot of the money didn't," she said.

The biggest single bid of £290 was for the chance to spend two days at a top London recording studio. A group of budding local Pop Idols were the successful bidders.

The school, which has fewer than 45 pupils, is attempting to raise £37,500 towards the £150,000 cost of building new offices and a staff room, a junior classroom, a kitchen and new cloakrooms in a project to be phased over three years.

On Monday members of the Friends of Easton Royal School and staff put up a 'fundometer' in the playground so that pupils can see how the appeal is going.

Mrs Day said that with the takings from Saturday's auction, the school is approaching the halfway point of the amount it has to raise.

The next big fundraising event will be a ball on May 24. For details ring (01672) 810305 or 811045.