Musicals and lunchtime novelty acts helped Harpenden pupils raise thousands of pounds for three different charities in just five days. St George's School hosted an annual Senior Prefects' Week of Fun, working together with other pupils and staff to raise £4,200, which works out as £840 a day.

Events included five days of lunchtime extravaganza, based on TV shows and musicals, and staff were roped in to help with other fundraising events such as tuck shops, bucket collections and a non-uniform day.

The musicals featured a staff and school captain's rendition of the Sound of Music, and highlights from West End musicals.Each of the school's four houses ran a lunchtime show.

The money will be split between the Harpenden branch of Mencap, the national Teenage Cancer Trust and St George's link school in Ghana, with each receiving an equal share of well over £1,000 in time for Christmas.

The charities were chosen by the senior prefect and school captains, Sam Stain and Sarah Ingram. Sarah said: "It was an incredible week. Every ticket for the shows sold out fast and there was great disappointment when the assembly hall was full.

"It took months of preparation but we pulled it off.”

The year 13s were congratulated on their success by headmaster Norman Hoare, who was proud of the way each show educated the audience about the chosen charities.

The money going to Ghana will buy a plot of land to build a new part of the secondary school they, along with Harpenden Scouts, are supporting.

Mr Hoare said: "It was a whole school effort, and it has become a tradition for the senior prefects to harness good will among all our pupils. It provides training and leadership and we are incredibly proud of what went on and the magnificent sums available to give to the charities. "However what they learnt and what we all came to appreciate is the work of these charities. Our integrated approach to fundraising was, in our opinion, as valuable as the cash we will hand over.”