VITAL equipment will be flown to emergency zones across the world thanks to help from children at Bernards Heath Junior School.

Pupils at the school on Sandridge Road, St Albans, have filled a specially designed box with essential items which could be used in the event of a natural disaster or famine.

Children were asked to bring in items of clothing, cooking utensils, first aid equipment, tools, household items or supplies for babies to put in the container, provided by the charity Aquabox.

When the Aquabox, which also contains a filter cartridge and supply of water-treatment tablets, arrives at its destination and the contents are removed, it serves another vital purpose.

The box can be used to purify up to 1,100 litres of polluted water producing enough safe drinking water for a family of four drinking ten cups a day for about four months.

The Aquabox initiative is being rolled out by St Albans Rotary Club, which has approached all schools in the St Albans district to encourage them to take part.

Club president Sue Swain said: "The Aquaboxes go anywhere in the world but mostly to Africa or South America; anywhere which has been affected by a disaster like a flood, earthquake or famine.

"We sent such a lot out after the tsunami that our warehouse was empty."

The Rotary Club is now looking for other local organisations and businesses to get involved by filling or sponsoring a box which costs £50 to help replenish stocks following the Asian tsunami disaster.

A box can be delivered to the donor's door and collected when it is full and its final destination can even be traced and reported back to those who have helped fill it.

The packed boxes are stored until an emergency arises when they will be transported by aid agencies and distributed to people on the ground.

Anyone who wants to support the scheme should contact Ms Swain on 01727 831668.