Students are helping disabled children and orphans celebrate Christmas in Romania.

Teenagers at Gainsborough's Castle Hills Community Arts College held a non-uniform day with a difference for the Light Across Europe charity.

Instead of paying to wear casual clothes to lessons, all 600 young people at the secondary school were encouraged to bring in practical gifts for their counterparts in the Eastern European country.

And the appeal led to school council co-ordinator Michelle Nicholson being inundated with donations ranging from cuddly toys, games and stationery to toiletries, toothpaste and warm clothing.

Now the race is on for Gainsborough-based charity worker Jim Taylor to make the 4,000-mile round trip to Bucharest and back before Christmas.

"There has been a fantastic response to the appeal this year," said the grandfather-of-five.

"But it costs around 3,000 each trip and I'm still short of my target - so any financial help would be greatly appreciated. There is no doubt that what has been given so far will make a massive difference to the children in homes, hospitals and orphanages in Romania."

Mrs Nicholson said the Castle Hills students had also contributed 200 in cash donations.

"The gifts from our school will go to many children in Romania who have no families to share Christmas with this year," she said.

"Some may be disabled and we hope to make a real difference to their lives.

"Or they may come from families which have very little income- where the majority of their money goes on rent, heat and food so there is nothing left for any kind of Christmas treat."