A primary school has launched a fundraising campaign after its gardening equipment was damaged beyond repair on Friday.

Teachers at High Halden are hoping to raise £5,000 to replace a greenhouse and polytunnel which they say provide the children and staff with “a great deal of pleasure”.

The school wants to collect enough cash to buy a replacement greenhouse of the same 8ft by 14ft size as its predecessor, but with “substantially more weatherproofing to withstand the harsher weather conditions”.

It is also hoped the funds can be stretched to replace the polytunnel which was torn and thrown across the allotment in the high winds.

Writing on a JustGiving page, head teacher Kelly Burlton said: “We run a popular weekly after school gardening club for our Key Stage 2 pupils and, under the guidance of two of our dedicated teaching assistants, the children tend the allotment area which produces a good crop of fruit and vegetables each year.

“The children often have a produce stall in the summer months for parents to purchase fruit and vegetables.

“The money from these sales then goes back to the gardening club to enable the purchase of seeds and small gardening items.

“The loss of the greenhouse is a devastating setback for us as we have now lost our space for propagation and the growing of plants for the children to nurture.”

To donate to the campaign, click here