A 92-YEAR-OLD wool spinner and a schoolboy's tin-can shooting range helped draw hundreds to a primary school fun day on Sunday.
Nine-year-old Dylan Moore raised £50 by offering his peers the chance to shoot plastic 'Nerf gun' pellets at targets on a wooden cabinet at High Ongar Primary School.
The fundraising total, which organisers hope will beat last year's £1,400, will go towards play equipment at The Street school.
Dylan's mother and chair of the parents' committee, Emily Moore, said: "It was so sweet of him and the kids to come up with the idea.
"He charged 50p a go and it was very busy all day, although my dad did help a bit."
The site also hosted all-day rugby matches in the 'arena', a bouncy castle, the wool spinner, an Essex Air Ambulance stall, the Essex Ferret Welfare Society, dancers from Dancemania and a wooden stocks for some human sponging.
"Unfortunately none of the teachers could be persuaded to get sponged," joked Mrs Moore, a 35-year-old mother-of-three, "although Miss Easter did do donkey rides which were very popular.
"The whole day went amazingly, very well, and in terms of support and atmosphere it was very good.
"It's our only event here and it gives the community an opportunity to come out in force.
"We've had grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends fundraising for new equipment at the school."
The committee has previously raised funds to go towards the school's outdoor play area, which cost head teacher Penelope Bennett and her team about £29,000.
Mrs Moore, who has been chairman of the 20-strong committee for two years, says she has no plans to step down from her role soon.
"Every year I say I will retire but I will probably just carry on and my daughter is only in Year 3.
"Yet preparing for this has been extremely stressful and it's had to tie in with work, with my children, and like everyone else on the committee, we have a difficult life – but if it benefits the kids, then great.
"Without this, the children wouldn't have play equipment which they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford."
Penny Bennett, the school's head teacher, said: "It was a great day, the weather was roasting and everyone enjoyed themselves.
"We went for a traditional feel this year with crafts stalls and raised £1,100, which will go towards getting more outside furniture so the children can enjoy the summer weather."
