A Norfolk high school is celebrating getting its new �15,000 minibus, after selling the old one on Ebay.

The old bus used by Archbishop Sancroft High School, in Harleston, had been transporting pupils around the county for more than 15 years and was starting to show its age.

So appeals went out and the community rallied round with grants and donations, but the school was still going to be left with an old bus. Then the school's link officer, Kate Nichols, suggested selling it on Ebay.

'The mechanics had been well cared for and were sound, but the bodywork was letting us down – it was so full of rust. The MoT was due to run out and it wasn't going to get through another,' she said. 'We probably would have had to pay to have it taken away for scrap.'

A buyer from Manchester – who paid �350 – travelled down last month to pick it up. A week later, the new bus arrived.

Kate said: 'We are still raising funding for the disabled conversion which we hope will take place in the summer holidays. This means we will be able to take students on trips who need the use of a wheelchair or who need to access the minibus via a ramp.

'Ben Farrow, head of PE, is also delighted as it means he can now take a whole rugby team to a fixture and will not have to play 'one man down' as we now have a 17-seater minibus. The old one was only a 15-seater.'

Assistant headteacher Rob Connelly said: 'We are extremely grateful for the support shown by members of the community and community groups. The new bus will have a major impact on the opportunities we are able to offer, including sports fixtures, out-of-hours learning and the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme.'

Donations came from: Harleston Fire Service, Rotary Club Harleston, Harleston Lions Club, Apollo Club Harleston, Harleston Wives Club, Harleston OAPs, Needham Lands Trust, Boom Youth Fund, Garfield Weston, money from the sale of a pool table on Ebay, a student sponsored walk, Friends of the Archbishop Sancroft High School, a non-uniform day, ASHS Got Talent competition run by the School Council, and Pulham Parish Council.