An urgent appeal for laptops and tablets to help get children back online with their home learning has netted 40 devices amid fears some kids are getting left behind.

Community volunteers across Dartford have rallied together to round up the tech, wipe it clean and prepare it ready for use.

So far seven primary schools have benefited from the appeal but organisers Dartford Deeds Not Words Foundation say more devices are still required.

They are welcoming donations covering everything from new tablets still in the box to old laptops gathering dust, provided they are still in working condition.

Among those lending his expertise to the efforts has been local computer whizz Paul Williams.

The Dartford resident has been volunteering his time to wipe off the old data and get the devices ready for kids to learn.

"When I was approached to help with refurbishing laptops for the laptop appeal, I was happy to help," said Paul.

"Giving new life to old laptops to help the children is a fantastic idea."

Stone councillor Kelly Grehan, who helped organised the appeal with volunteers through the charity Dartford Deeds Not Words, said school staff had been "thrilled" by the response.

"Last year, in the first lockdown we collected stationery which we gave to schools for kids to use in home schooling," she said.

"This time round we knew devices would be vital for children to access remote learning and that there were kids without equipment or sharing one phone or tablet between three or four of them.

"We know from the response to all our appeals, but particularly our Toy Appeal this year, that people in the community would want to help."

It comes amid fears during the latest lockdown some children, particularly those already disadvantaged, may get left behind without the right gear.

Leon Dawson, head of school at Temple Hill primary school, where more than one in four pupils are eligible for free school meals, said the digital deeds were making a big difference.

"Your kind donations change chances and opportunities for our children and their futures in a place and time when it is most needed," he said.

"We can't thank you enough and keep them coming - whether they are for us or someone else who will benefit in our community."

Head teacher at Wentworth primary school, Paul Langridge, also praised the work of volunteers and said: "On behalf of the Wentworth community I would like to thank Dartford Deeds not Words for their donation of four laptops.

"This supports us in our drive to ensure all our children have digital access to our home learning resources and facilitates the essential communication between home and school during these challenging times."

Elsewhere, Stone St Mary's Church of England primary school also took to social media to post its thanks for the "previously loved" laptops it received.

The Department for Education has already handed out 5,000 devices as part of its school laptop scheme but there are concerns among some school leaders it does not go far enough.

A Swanley primary school headteacher fears the government laptop scheme doesn't go far enough

Ben Hulme, head teacher of St Paul's C of E Primary in Swanley, says they were given their full allocation but it amounted to just five laptops in a school with more than 100 pupils.

He told KMTV this week: "I'm not quite sure how the allocation was made. It is certainly not the number of disadvantaged families we've got.

"We've got almost double that here at St Paul's and four times that at West Kingsdown so I'm not quite sure how that's worked out."

The head teacher says some schools are struggling and are now fundraising in an attempt to buy extra laptops to meet the demand.

This time around the digital drive is being overseen by the Department for Education as opposed to Kent County Council, the authority responsible for education, which oversaw the same process last year.

There are also issues of connectivity with concerns more rural communities with worse broadband connections will be hardest hit.

Head teacher Mr Hulme has taken matters into his own hands and has started giving pupil's "hotspot" boxes that give children a reliable internet connection at home.

"This allows our families to access their internet when they are at home in case they haven't got capacity for when they are working at home and supporting their children online."

If you have an unused laptop or tablet you can donate, contact the Dartford Deeds Not Words Foundation at dartforddeedsnotwords@gmail.com

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford