The Children's Council of St Patrick's P.S. New Stevenston presented a cheque for £500 to Mr Eric Creaney, Trustee, of 'Street Child Africa'.

The money was raised in this year's Lenten Charity appeal and will go towards the protection of some of the poorest children in the world. The number of street children is rising.

In Accra , Ghana , the population of street children has more than doubled in the last five years to 20,000 children and 6000 babies.