A RETIRED couple who made it their ambition to create a full primary school on the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro say the project has gone beyond their wildest expectations.

Sue and Ron Hayes, from Windle, launched charity Africa's Children in Education (ACE) and have devoted themselves over the past few years to creating the pre and primary school in an impoverished community in Tanzania.

From humble beginnings, 'Arise School' now has eight classrooms in use, with a further two built and awaiting money for desks and chairs.

Sue and Ron received a boost last May after receiving a grant from the Thomas Cook Children’s Charity towards the cost of building two of the last three classrooms.

With classroom eight operational ahead of the children's return to school in January, an extra 40 three to five-year-old pupils were able to be taken on by the school.

This has brought the number of children now receiving an education at the school to more than 300.

Former children's social worker Sue said: "Amazingly, there are 321 children, aged three to 12 years on the school’s register.

"When the first classroom opened in January 2013 with just 11 children, we never would have dreamed that the school would develop in the way it has.

"Unlike many schools in Tanzania, Arise is able to offer its pupils so much more than formal schooling.

"They enjoy outdoor play and sports equipment in the school’s green and pleasant surroundings.

"They are provided with two meals a day; they have teachers who care about them and their overall wellbeing; the love and friendship of their fellow pupils and, very importantly, there is no physical punishment. They are able to learn without fear.

For more information on the charity visit ACECharity.uk or contact ACECharity@aol.com