Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Diss Waveney, the recently formed second Rotary Club in Diss, have carried out their first social service project in the town.

Members of the club presented each Year Five pupil at Diss Church of England Junior School with a Dictionary4Life.

Each book comprises 1,000 illustrations, 10,000 entries and 20,000 definitions printed in full colour and is a combination of a dictionary and encyclopaedia.

It has a user's guide, writing English hints, English today and a history of the language and recommended web sites.

It also includes the vocabulary of the internet age.

At a special ceremony at the end of the school day, the books were presented by Diss Waveney president Janet Turner and eight other members of the club.

Mrs Turner said: 'Elsewhere in the county these books have been proved to have advanced literacy rates noticeably and we wanted to help in Diss also, particularly because literacy is one of Rotary's key emphases for social advancement.'

Headteacher Karen Sewell thanked the Rotary Club of Diss Waveney for its generosity and advised pupils to look after the books carefully.

Diss Waveney Rotarians intend to repeat the gift of books next year.

A spokesman for the club added: 'The Dictionary4Life will enable both first and second language users to extend and improve the accuracy of their vocabulary.

'It should help children with their homework in secondary education. In some homes it may also form a reference work for all the family.'

Have you got a school story? Email anthony.carroll@archant.co.uk