COLLEGE students in Banbury are raising money to help poor African families.

About 70 young people on the New Directions course at the Banbury campus of Oxford and Cherwell Valley College are halfway to their £3,500 target to buy a pump which will provide clean drinking water for a rural community in Africa.

The cash will go to PlayPumps International, a non-profit organisation which installs equipment that supplies water as children play.

The pumps are fitted to merry-go-rounds and lift clean water from underground wells as the roundabouts turn. The water goes into storage tanks which can be easily accessed by the turn of a tap.

PlayPumps International was formerly known as Roundabout PlayPumps, and its mission is to provide rural communities throughout Africa with a sustainable and free supply of clean drinking water.

Student Jamie Farley said: "We are trying to make the world a better place by bringing some joy and better health into the lives of African children."

Another fundraiser Chanelle Barnes added: "Our tutor showed us some video clips of the play pumps in action. We began fundraising about two months ago and will keep going until we have the total required."

Fellow student Kane Kelly said: "More than 700 PlayPumps have already been installed in South Africa, and we want to add one more. Access to clean water is a serious problem for more than a billion people, and water-related diseases are a leading cause of death."

So far students have taken part in a sponsored water carry, which raised £700, staged a Christmas raffle, sourced prizes from local companies, and now plan a Christmas bazaar in the college's main hall from midday today.