Pirates, sharks and a bucket and spade raise funds for Coastwatch team

Youngsters at Winterton Primary School have taken part in a fun run to raise funds for the village's Coastwatch volunteer team.

Pieces of eight. A youngster dresses as a pirate (Image: Brittany Woodman/ Archant)

There were smiles aplenty as pupils dressed as sharks, pirates, a diver and even a bucket and spade as they headed to Winterton's clifftop.

The run raised £1,200 for the Winterton Coastwatch volunteer team, which is raising funds after its watch tower had to be removed on Tuesday, March 8 due to severe erosion.

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The appeal is raising funds so the tower can be moved to another location.

Winterton Primary School held a run to raise money for the village Coastwatch team after its tower was taken down this week. (Image: Brittany Woodman/ Archant)

Roger Rolph, Winterton Coastwatch station manager, was delighted the pupils and staff had raised £1,200 for the appeal.

He said: "It is absolutely brilliant. It is a great effort on behalf of the pupils. Everyone at Winterton Coastwatch is very, very grateful."

Hannah Waters, deputy head who organised the run with her group Ella, Brandon, Isabella, Oscar, Xavia and Sophia (Image: Brittany Woodman/ Archant)

Hannah Waters is the deputy head at the school who organised the sponsored fun run.

Some of the fun runners with their teacher (Image: Brittany Woodman/ Archant)

She said: "The main reason for us doing the charity run was that we wanted to give back to the community.

"Three years ago we nearly lost the school and the people of Winterton helped us save the school. So we really wanted to give back and it's really important to the children so they can enjoy the beach safety.

The fun run raised £1,200 for Coastwatch (Image: Brittany Woodman/ Archant)

"They have raised a total of £1,200 today through sponsorship."

Just a few months ago the Coastwatch tower looked out across an estimated 90 more metres of land.

But after a bruising erosion streak it has been taken down and put into storage.

Jaws! Youngsters dressed up as sharks for the fun run (Image: Brittany Woodman/ Archant)

The former shipping container was lifted off its concrete pad in two parts on Tuesday during a two-hour operation carried out amid gusting winds

Brian Thompson, Deputy Station Manager of Winterton Coast Watch was at the fun run (Image: Brittany Woodman/ Archant)

There had been a watch presence at Winterton since Victorian times.

The tower that was removed this week had been in place since 2005 thanks to the enthusiastic support of Alan McMurchie who galvanised an appeal to fundraise for it.

The car park at Winterton clifftop remains open.