SIX pupils from Upton Heath Primary School C of E have raised over £100 for Save the Children by setting up a Harry Potter-themed sweet shop in the school playground.

The children were inspired to fundraise after learning about the struggles children their age experience in refugee families.

Joseph Chapman, Mason Colcannon, Sam Cormack, Harry Lark, Dilen Rae and Maxwell Ross, all aged eight or nine, have been learning about what refugee families can go through and recently took part in Chester’s ‘Walk my Journey’ parade put on by Theatre in the Quarter.

Inspired, they wanted to do more and felt that the best way to help children this Christmas was to fundraise in their own school playground.

After deciding that most children their age liked Harry Potter, they devised a plan to open their own ‘Honeydukes’ sweet shop for an hour after school and donate all proceeds to charity.

Setting to work making posters and sourcing magical treats, from chocolate frogs to golden snitches, the children managed to make up over 100 packs of sweets to sell in the week before Christmas.

Maxwell said: "All of my friends and I like Harry Potter so we thought that if we did wizard sweets we’d sell loads. I wish there was a real Honeydukes!"

Sam said: "I wanted to help children live a better life."

Dilen said: "It was nice to raise money for charity and be with my friends."

Mason said: "It was great to help the children."

Harry said: "I wanted to help Save the Children."

Joseph added: "I wanted to help children less fortunate than me."

Maxwell's mum, Jenni Millard, said: "All the other parents and I are immensely proud of our boys, they have worked very hard to follow their fundraising plan through and are over the moon at raising a grand total of £103.02p.

"It's what Christmas is all about, they are all very happy to know they have made other children’s Christmases a bit more magical this year."