STAFF and children at Sunrise Nursery in Stratton dressed to impress in red as they raised hundreds of pounds in support of a charity close to their hearts.

All last week staff and youngsters were busy baking cakes and getting crafty, making red themed items and banners in support of the British Heart Foundation’s Wear It Beat It campaign.

They even chose to have red coloured snacks, including red peppers, tomatoes, jam doughnuts and strawberry milkshakes.

And on Friday, they arrived at the nursery at Kingsdown School, Hyde Road wearing their best red clothing, including some fetching Elmo jumpers.

The charity, which works to fund life-saving heart research, is an important cause for the nursery, run by Paula McKinna and Linda Fishlock and looks after around 60 youngsters.

“We have got a little girl here who had heart issues when she was a baby,” said deputy manager Callum McKinna.

“Paula’s husband also had a major heart surgery, he had a quadruple heart bypass and he has been recovering well.

“All this week we have been talking to the children about healthy eating and how to keep their heart healthy.

“We made lots of fairy cakes with hearts on and we were making more in this afternoon. Even the babies were made biscuits.”

On Friday lunchtime the nursery had raised £400 but they were hoping to get more donations flooding in from parents and the rest of the cakes being sold.

Callum added: “The children are so happy and excited and really enjoying themselves.”