PUPILS at a Glasgow school have raised £18,000 to build and run a health clinic and creche in remote Nepal.

Youngsters at Rosshall Academy in Crookston were told some children in the isolated village of Gorje were living in dreadful conditions.

They were so touched by the villagers' plight they decided they wanted to help out and have been raising cash for the past five years.

A huge number of fundraising activities during this time have included sponsored walks, sales of artworks, a Nepal night and pupils paying £1 to come to school without a uniform.

The youngsters' hard work has resulted in enough money being raised for a new clinic to be built and run for locals.

Marion Reid, principal teacher of modern studies, supports the pupils in their fundraising efforts and has just sent off the latest chunk of money to help keep the centre running - a cheque for £4000.

She said: "The friend of a former member of staff visited Nepal and saw some appalling sights there.

"He said, in particular, there were young children who had burned themselves on stoves because they had been left unattended while their parents were at work.

"We decided the clinic was a good project and began working directly with London-based charity Child Welfare Scheme which goes out to Nepal.

"Five years ago, when we started fundraising, we brought in £10,000 in one year - £2000 more than was needed to build the clinic - so there was money left over to run it.

"The clinic is a mix of a health centre and a creche where kids aged between two and six can go while their parents are working.

"The building costs were so cheap because local people worked for nothing and we only had to pay for the cost of materials."

Pupils and staff at Rosshall have kept in touch with the village and have a photograph book recording every stage in the building of the clinic.

Ms Reid hopes senior pupils at the South Side school will one day be able to visit Gorje once the current political unrest in Nepal has died down.

She said: "We will continue to raise money because it is a commitment we have made."