Students at Wem’s Thomas Adams School have raised a record-breaking amount of money for charity after they took part in the school’s fourth Stay Awake event last February.

More than 300 pupils were sponsored to stay awake for 24 hours, raising £16, 567.89 – the highest figure ever raised from a single event at the school in its 367-year history, beating the previous event record set in 2013.

Spencer Radford, assistant headteacher and event organiser, was delighted.

“The Stay Awake is 18 months’ work from start to finish and I am supported by a large group of prefects and a technical team who help to organise the event from the outset,” he said.

“In addition, I am very grateful to local businesses which support the event and the school staff who supervise on the night.

“There can be few, if any, schools in the country which have raised such a large amount of money from a single event and it only comes about thanks to the tremendous teamwork we have.

“The behaviour of the pupils who took part was exemplary and they all had a fantastic night.”

Following a usual Friday at school, pupils were treated to a night of activities and entertainment, including bouncy castles, an inflatable assault course, a surfboard simulator and gladiator jousting.

The school also put on their own versions of TV shows The X-Factor, The Chase and Who wants to be a Millionaire?, as well as creating a huge haunted house around the school.

Other activities include bingo, quizzes, board games, computer games and Zumba (at 5am!) before finishing with a ‘big breakfast’ on Saturday morning.

Funds raised at the event are split between Children in Need, the school’s stage lighting fund to support school concerts and productions, and other projects, some of which are suggested by the pupils themselves.