A TEACHING assistant is appealing for people to take part in a "fitness classathon" to raise funds for students at a special needs school to go to Stuttgart in Germany on an exchange programme.

Students at Mill Green School in Parr, which caters for special education needs pupils aged 14 to 19, have been visiting their partner school Gustav Werner in Stuttgart Germany for several years, but need help to fund this year's trip.

Vicki Kelly, 38, who has been a teaching assistant at the school for nine years, was inspired to hold an eight-hour classathon to raise the funds.

Vicki, whose mum founded the exchange programme between the schools before retiring due to illness, will be taking part in six different classes over the period and is encouraging others to get involved.

She said: “We originally applied for a grant and this was successful as we were the first SEN school within the UK to apply but since then other schools have been encouraged to use our bid as a role model for their own bids.

“That means it’s harder for us and we need to raise the £6,000 ourselves.

“We have held several events, a darts night even raised £1,700 in total but we still have a long way to go.

“It means so much to the pupils, we have set up a JustGiving page so people can donate and I hope people enjoy the classathon.

“My mum is very proud, it means the world to the pupils to have that opportunity as many had never been abroad before and they have established relationships with other pupils there.”

The event will be held from 11.30am to 7.30pm this Saturday, May 27 at DW Gym in Widnes.

It will cost £3 for a class or £10 for the entire day.

For information on available places contact the gym directly.

To donate to the JustGiving page visit bit.ly/2q7gcFM