HUNDREDS of chocolate eggs are to be sent to children in Romania in a show of generosity.

About 300 pupils from two Swindon schools helped fill three large boxes with the Cadbury's Creme Eggs bound for orphanages in a small village in north-eastern Romania.

Grange Junior School on Grange Drive, Stratton, and Haydon Wick Primary School on The Brow, are taking part in the egg-gathering exercise for the fifth year in a row.

Organisers say that this year has been the most successful so far.

Alan Duffy, a Year Three teacher at Grange Junior School, said the schools take part in a number of separate international charitable activities with their pupils throughout the year.

He said: "This is just a little gesture but when you see the children's faces it's all worthwhile.

"I think it is good for our children to be helping others in European countries.

"We tend to think that everyone is as wealthy and as lucky as we are here in Britain - but that is just not reality.

"People are very generous at this school.

"And it is important for them to know that everyone can do their bit to help others.

"There is always someone less fortunate than ourselves that we can help."

He added that in just a few months' time the children at both schools will receive photographs of the Romanian children enjoying their eggs, as well as some flags and other cultural items.

The organiser of the scheme, Bill Craig, will deliver the eggs to the children on one of his many trips to Romania next month.

He said last year that he delivered 1,100 chocolate eggs.

And 90 per cent of those eggs went to children and 10 per cent to the teachers and support staff.

Anyone looking to get involved in the scheme can email alan@duffy43.freeserve.co.uk.