SCHOOLS have been getting active all in the name of charity to raise money for Sport Relief.

Pupils at The Olive School in Blackburn have set themselves the challenge to get sponsors to run 3,602 miles this week, the distance to World Cup host nation Russia.

Each lunchtime this week pupils and staff at the Meins Road primary school have been running laps of the playground to clock up the distance between them.

School principal Julie Bradley said: "We wanted to do something unique for the charity this year and decided to look ahead to this summer’s World Cup.

“Our pupils have embraced the activity, whatever the weather.

"It’s been great to see everyone working together to help The Olive School achieve its goal."

Year four pupil Zaynab Bala said: “The run has been fabulous and has made me happy because I am doing it for charity.

"It was fun as I have a lot of energy to burn and it made me more focused in class.”

Year two pupil Zoya Shahid added: “When I ran around the playground, it was so much fun. I ran with my class and it was funny to see the teachers run too.”

Pupils at Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School in Blackburn have also been busy fundraising for Sport Relief and have collected just short of £1,800.

The student council ran a lunchtime cake sale, staff held a penalty shoot-out each lunchtime and Year 7 and Year 8 pupils took part in a sponsored walk through Sunnyhurst Woods in Darwen.

A team of staff also took on pupils in a fundraising five-a-side match which ended in triumph for the staff, and the week is being completed with a non-uniform day today.

Principal Majid Ditta said: “Our pupils really embraced the opportunity to raise funds for a national appeal that supports young people both in the UK and overseas.

"The week has given our pupils another opportunity to demonstrate our values of service and teamwork particularly as they worked together to raise funds for a very worthy charity – having lots of fun in the process."

Sport Relief aims to raise funds to help tackle critical issues affecting people across the UK and the rest of the world and the fundraising across the country will be topped off with a night of entertainment tonight on BBC One from 7pm.