A SCHOOL is appealing to people to help them keep a special breakfast club for pupils open after becoming a victim of its own success.

Middleforth CofE Primary School, in Hill Road South, Penwortham, runs the club as a way for busy parents to drop their children off on the way to work, before the school day begins.

Youngsters can spend an hour before lessons start playing with friends and eating specially prepared breakfasts, made by the school's cook.

Now the club, which has gone from strength to strength since it was formed in 1999, is getting too popular and extra staff are needed.

But the school needs sponsorship to pay for help and extra toys. Susan Clegg, headteacher at the school, said: "The breakfast club has been very successful and I would like to continue running it. We would love to have other people on the team."

Welfare assistant Fiona Lovell and school cook Linda Sharples give up their mornings every school day, working from 7.50am preparing breakfasts and looking after around 35 children, aged between four and 11.

A spokesman for the school added: "They can have a breakfast as part of the club -- there's toast, cereals, yoghurt, raisin, fruit and crumpets."

To keep the club up and running the youngsters pay a small charge each day, and extra for a breakfast. But even this cash isn't enough.

The spokesman said: "It's the school running it rather than the council, so the children pay 50p when they come in. That goes towards paying the staff and buying the felt-tips, crayons and toys.

"We're looking for sponsorship because it has really taken off."

Anybody interested in helping the club should contact the school on 746024.