A CHEQUE for an incredible £4,000 has been handed over to a charity after a Wee County school got together to boost vital research.

The sum was given to the Wee County Cancer Research UK Fundraising Group by the P6-7 class at Deerpark Primary School.

Earlier last month, the class organised the school's very own Race for Life – a fundraising initiative by Cancer Research UK.

As highlighted at the time, the children were compelled to do their bit to boost vital research and raise awareness after hearing their class teacher's mum had been diagnosed with the disease.

Teacher Kate Wyman could not have been prouder when the cheque was ready last week and the race, which involved the whole school as well as neighbouring Lochies, highlighted just how close the cause is to everyone's heart.

The fundraising target initially was a modest £100, but quickly jumped to £500. However, the money continued to flow in thanks to the involvement of the wider community.

By the day of the race, which saw pupils and staff run and walk a combined 605km, they were sitting on £3,300 with even more donated throughout the event.

A delighted Ms Wyman told the Advertiser: "The volume of the cheer when they hit £1,000 was huge; when they got to £4,000 it was stunned silence then."

Without realising, the young people picked up various enterprising skills while playing their part in tackling the disease.

The teacher added: "We had them doing numeracy and digital media, their planning and organisations skills have come on.

"When we sat down to do the presentation [for the visiting fundraisers], they were trying to think of the skills they used and shocked themselves how many there were.

"It was the same when it came to describing the emotions they felt in the run up and on the day."

An integral part of every Race for Life are back signs participants wear with their custom messages on why they are taking part.

That was no different at the school event with many youngsters taking to the field for relatives, loved ones or neighbours.

Handcrafted signs for the day – some of which bear the marks of the slightly muddy conditions – are on a prominent display in the building.

Ms Wyman added: "It's quite nice watching all line up at lunchtime, you can see all of them saying 'oh, that's mine'.

"And actually, a lot of the children spend a lot of time reading them to see all the reasons other people ran."

Receiving the cheque were local fundraisers Nicky and Ian Whyte from Wee County CRUK.

The group helped in the background by providing t-shirts, bunting, banners and the likes.

Ian hailed it as a "fantastic sum" while Nicky highlighted how research, in places like Glasgow and Dundee, but also around the world, is not just about investigating the causes and driving up survival rates, but also about developing kinder and more effective treatments.

To get involved, find @weecountyCRUK on Facebook.