ST Ambrose College has raised a record £15,000 to fund medical supplies for its sister school in Sierra Leone.

St. Ambrose assistant head John Toal said: “Normally we would donate the money to our sister school St. Ambrose Academy in Freetown for educational resources, but the school is closed so we are giving the funds for the school authorities to spend on drugs and personal protective equipment in the fight against Ebola.”

The majority of the cash was raised from the annual sponsored full school walk when 650 boys and

60 staff completed six miles down Bollin valley but then extra donations exceeded all expectations.

Mr Toal added: “We remain in close contact with our friends in Sierra Leone and they are going through some harrowing times with the emergency far from over and people still dying in streets so every little bit of help is important.”

Since 2008 St. Ambrose has been sending parties of sixth form students and teachers to their sister school, St. Ambrose Academy in Freetown. However in the advent of the catastrophic Ebola pandemic any thought of continuing visits have been shelved.

Mr Toal added: “We are not about to abandon our friends in Sierra Leone but instead are setting up ICT links so we can restore full communication once the academy reopens and hopefully in the fullness of time we will be able to return.”

He concluded: “We would like to thank all those boys, parents friends and members of the local community who gave generously to this appeal.”

St. Ambrose will also be making donations to Cancer Research, CAFOD and Save the Children.