A DAD’S Army at Winsley have completed a 40-mile trek across country to raise more than £5,000 for the village school’s classroom appeal.

The intrepid group of eight fathers walked four 10-mile circuits of the Avoncliff valley to raise the funds for the school’s A Class of their Own appeal.

Group leader Ian Sparrowhawk said: “We all survived apart from Gavin Beesley who was ill during the week and only completed three of the four laps.

“We were none of us as prepared, fit or as young as we would like to be but we were determined!”

The primary school is trying to raise £80,000 to build a new classroom this summer to replace older temporary classrooms.

It has only six classrooms which now need to support seven full classes to avoid splitting the year groups.

The number of children at the school has risen over the past few years from 113 children to 169 - a 50 per cent increase in just four years.