Children wearing animal masks prepare to help with fundraising for the Aspinall Foundation's Back to the Wild appeal

The Aspinall Foundation's fundraising appeal, Back To The Wild, is set to receive a boost from school pupils.

The KM Group, which supports the appeal, has sent fundraising packs crammed with fun animal facts, masks to decorate and easy fundraising ideas to more than 500 schools in the county.

As well as raising awareness of the appeal, to send a group of primates back to their native Java, the pupils can also win a great day out.

Sarah Tite, fundraising manager for The Aspinall Foundation said: "These packs can make going back to school a wild time for the kids, they can decorate masks and really become little monkeys and get some tips on fun fundraising ideas to help send animals back to the wild."

The participating schools or classes that raise the most money for the Back To The Wild appeal can win a day out at either Howletts or Port Lympne Wild animal park, with transport generously donated by Kent company Buzzlines Travel.

Sarah added: "Along with the prize of a day out at either of our wild animal parks, we will also pick a school who can enjoy a wildly entertaining assembly with some of our education team, to learn interesting and engaging facts about the animals in our care."

The appeal, launched in June, aims to raise £10,000 to help send captive-born animals housed at Port Lympne and Howletts Wild Animal Parks back to the wild to boost indigenous populations threatened by extinction.