Children at a Bradford school are aiming to pile up the pennies for cancer research.

Pupils at St Anthony's Catholic Primary School, in Bradford Road, Clayton, are learning about cancer and being encouraged to return film canisters full of money for the Telegraph & Argus Bradford Can... Cancer Research Appeal.

And teachers are hoping they will soon have enough canisters to reach the top of a giant penguin which has been made and designed by seven and eight-year-olds in Year Three.

The charity fundraising efforts follow the success of church members at St Anthony's Church in Clayton, who have raised £1,000 for Bradford Can...

Head teacher Barbara Ford, said: "One of the initiatives in schools is to have an artist in residence who helps the children to extend and develop their creative abilities.

"The sculptor Frank Darnley, who is the person responsible for the ram at Dean Clough in Halifax, has been into the school a few times and has got everyone involved in designing things from birds to fish.

"We put all the designs on a board and then the children chose the one they liked the best, which was a penguin."

The children then worked with Mr Darnley for a day-and-a-half, making a five foot penguin out of card and glue.

"The pupils were thrilled with the result," said Mrs Ford.

When St Anthony's Church member, Alice Isitt, went to Mrs Ford and encouraged her to get involved with the Bradford Can... appeal, they decided it would be a good idea to send the children home with canisters and get enough back to reach the height of the penguin.

"It is Alice Isitt's enthusiasm for the appeal which got us going," said Mrs Ford.

"We also have a little boy in the school who has leukaemia.

"There is a common misconception among children that cancer is something you can catch, so we will be educating them about that and also about keeping healthy and not smoking.

"It is a very important part of citizenship."

Bradford Can... aims to raise £1 million for cancer research in Bradford. When that figure is reached it will trigger a further £5 million of funding from the Cancer Research Campaign.

The money will be spent on pioneering research at the University of Bradford's Cancer Research Unit and on trials of anti-cancer drugs at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Every penny raised in the community will be match funded by Sovereign Healthcare, of Manningham Lane, Bradford.

If you would like to get involved in the appeal get a special fund-raising pack by phoning The Bradford Can... Appeal office on 01274 235482

or e-mailing bradfordcan@crc.org.uk.

Donations can be made with cheques payable to the Bradford Can...Appeal and sent to the Bradford Can... Appeal office, 21 Claremont, Bradford, BD7 1BG.