Pupils at a Bradford school backed a campaign to save a threatened toy library by doing what children do best - play.

The seven to 11-year-olds at Wellington Primary School, in Eccleshill, were encouraged by teachers to take their own toys into school to share with their friends, and to make donations to the Bradford Toy Library in return.

Head teacher Joy Wood said: "The children wanted to help and thought the best way to do it was by using their own toys and games to raise funds for this exceptionally important resource."

The Telegraph & Argus Save Our Play appeal is aiming to raise at least £12,000 to secure the future of Bradford Toy Library.

The charity, based at St Luke's Hospital, Bradford, lends toys to stimulate and educate more than 1,000 youngsters with special needs and disabilities.

The library also lends mainstream toys, houses the Laura Jackson Book Library which offers useful information to parents, and is linked to a variety of groups.

Just £12,000 will keep the toy library open for another 12 months, covering its running costs, and helping to replace the specialist equipment which families rely on.

Every penny raised over this amount will be a further boost for the vital resource, which is the only toy library in the city which is free of charge to parents.

Wellington Primary School was inspired to help the appeal because several pupils have used the library, including the daughter of Emma Fawcett, co-ordinator of the toy library.

Nine-year-old Eleanor, who has an autistic spectrum disorder, attended Wellington Primary School before transferring to Denholme Primary School.

When she attended the Wellington school there were ten other pupils with autism.

Emma said: "The school has been fantastic and I am pleased they have done this for us.

"They are only too aware of how important the toy library is to a vast number of children."