WEST Cumbrian-born singer-songwriter Francis Dunnery took time out of his three-week European tour to visit his old school and hand over a £4,000 donation.

Staff and pupils at St Bridget’s RC School in Francis’s home town of Egremont, were thrilled when he called in on Friday.

The money was raised during what has become an annual weekend of fundraising for the Charlie and Kathleen Dunnery Children’s Fund, which he set up in memory of his parents.

Francis said the fund, a registered charity, is to help improve the health and education of children in Egremont and the surrounding area. Since it was launched in 2002, it has raised several thousand pounds for the West Cumberland Hospital.

Elaine O’Reilly, head of St Bridget’s said the fund’s “fantastic” £4,000 donation to her school would help inspire the next generation of pop stars, with instruments and equipment for the music room and computer facility.

Francis shot to fame as the leader of Cumbrian band It Bites, best known for their 1986 hit Calling All the Heroes.

Mrs O’Reilly said the youngsters were delighted that he came into school to visit them, with members of the fundraising committee.

Many of the school’s children were among the 80-plus walkers who took part in a sponsored walk round Ennerdale in October as part of a fund-raising weekend for the children’s fund.

Francis praised the local commitment to the charity, which is developing a website for online donations and fund-raising activities.

He said the next fundraising weekend, during the October half-term, will be in aid of Egremont’s Bookwell School.

News Supplied with Thanks by the Andrea Thompson - News & Star