PUPILS and staff at St Ives School in Haslemere jumped into their PJs for a blockbuster day of action in support of the UK’s largest reading charity, BookTrust.

They were taking part in the charity’s Pyjamarama fundraising campaign to celebrate the joys of bedtime stories.

The campaign to ensure every child can experience the benefits of reading followed BookTrust research, which revealed that while 49 per cent of parents aim to share a book with their children in the evening, only 28 per cent managed to do so.

A third of those responding said work means they didn’t get home in time and one in five admitted they simply felt ‘too busy’.

St Ives pupils and teachers donated £1 to the charity to wear PJs and arrived wearing an array of colourful pyjamas and onesies.

They also took in books to donate to a whole-school swap so everyone went home with a new story to read.

Year 6 students led an assembly on BookTrust and the work it does to help disadvantaged children have access to literature.

Pupils then read stories to each other and also worked in groups to write and illustrate a bedtime story.

Their stories will be published in a St Ives School bedtime story book and copies will be sold at the summer fair, with profits going to BookTrust.

The children also spent time making shadow puppets and then used them to retell their favourite stories.

Deputy head Nicola Smith said: “What a wonderful initiative Pyjamarama day is. Not only did we have a fantastic day celebrating everything that’s wonderful about books, but we’ve also raised much-needed funds for BookTrust and the children it helps.

“We look forward to making this an annual event.”