STUDENTS at Priestley College have teamed up with a national charity to bring some bear essentials to children in less developed countries.

This year sees the college embarking on a number of overseas study visits and after joining forces with Teddies for Tragedies', students will go armed with 80 bears from the charity, which they will hand out to children they encounter during their placements.

In July, Early Years students are heading to Romania to work in orphanages and hospitals, while other trips planned include Egypt and a tsunami stricken village in Sri Lanka.

Dorothy Moss, the north west co-ordinator for Teddies for Tragedies visited the Loushers Lane campus to drop off the hand knitted bears.

She said: "Teddies for Tragedies play a vital role in bringing a little bit of cheer and emotional support to children around the world by supplying them with what may be the only ever toy they have received in their lives."

Early Years and Health and Social Care curriculum manager, Bev Whittaker, was delighted to work with the charity.

She said: "As well as the teddy bears we will also be supplying children with other essential equipment, such as paper and pencils, which will be going to children in Egypt in order that children can attend school over there as without this equipment they are not able to study."