FOURTEEN Whitefield pupils will literally be following in the footsteps of their teachers this weekend.

They will be pounding the streets of Newcastle to raise pounds for St Bernadette's Primary School. The youngsters, aged ten and 11, are taking part in the junior grade of the Great North Run to be staged in Tyneside.

And pictured on their marks are ten-year-olds India Greenhalgh (left), and David Wharton (right), and the other young runners.

Last year, four teachers and four parents raised £5,000 for the school when they joined more than 40,000 runners in the same event. The money went towards a new school library.

This year, the children will be raising cash to furnish an information technology suite for the Abingdon Avenue school.

Headteacher Mr Des Burns said: "The total cost of personal computers for the IT suite will be £15,000. But we can make a big hole in that amount thanks to the sponsorship which the pupils will get.

The junior grade of the Great North Run will take place tomorrow (Sat Sept 20) and involves a five kilometre run through Newcastle city centre. The main event, which this year has attracted 47,000 competitors, will be staged the following day.