A GROUP of women took part in a sleep-out to help children in war-torn areas of the world.

The seven-strong contingent bedded down in the car park of St Mary’s, at Riddlesden, on Sunday night.

Members’ efforts have so far raised about £2,000, with funds still coming in.

The proceeds are for War Child, a charity which helps protect and educate youngsters in conflict zones.

Organiser of the sleep-out was the Rev Jenny Ramsden, curate at East Riddlesden and Morton and an interfaith worker with Touchstone Bradford.

“We came together – Muslims and Christians – as women of faith to remember and support children whose lives are still disfigured by war and to raise money for War Child,” she said.

“The date was significant, being both Remembrance Sunday – when we remember and pray for all victims of conflict, many of whom are children – and also the first day of Interfaith Week, which shows that people of different faiths can come together in friendship and concern for others.

“It was incredibly cold, we were very uncomfortable and hardly slept, but we were all extremely aware that our discomfort was short-lived, unlike the situation faced by hundreds of thousands of children suffering terribly in conflict zones around the world.”

War Child said the amount raised would be enough to reunite a youngster with family and send five children to school for a year.