SPORTS equipment destroyed when a school was torched by arsonists has been replaced thanks to the efforts of a football-mad pupil and his friends.

Alex Sayers, aged eight, raised £306 with fellow volunteers from Culcheth Primary School doing a sponsored bag-pack at Asda so that new kits and balls could be bought.

"Alex is goalkeeper for his school team and loves his football so wanted to get involved," said proud dad, Nigel, aged 43, from Culcheth, who managed to persuade Asda in Birchwood to donate £1,000.

"Alex and six or seven others packed bags for hours on the last Sunday before Christmas.

"The money went towards replacing kits and equipment and Sainburys donated a kit."

The fire happened last September when rubbish from bins was piled up against the school's ground floor storeroom and set alight.

Flames spread to the roof timbers causing £20,000 of damage to the building and destroying almost £10,000 of equipment.

Head teacher Craig Richardson said the pupils' fundraising efforts were a credit to the school.

"It was a joint effort with the children giving up their time before Christmas and parents helping clean up what we could save," he said.

"Alex was very keen to help and did an awful lot in fundraising for the school."