RAWDON schoolchildren have been given more than £500 of audio equipment from a Leeds company.

Benton Park School, which last year produced the best A-level results in Leeds, was given the equipment, including microphones, amplifiers, a tape recorder and mixing desk from public relations consultancy, Grayling.

John Avison, Grayling's account director in Leeds, said: "We had some surplus broadcast training equipment and decided it should go to a good home. With Benton Park's excellent academic record, we know our gift will benefit the next generation of communicators."

Ian Bangay, the school's head of music, said: "It will be a great help, particularly to pupils doing GCSE music and theatre studies courses."

School governor, Leeds City Councillor Brian Cleasby, added: "This is another good example of a business working in partnership with a local school to enhance the quality of education in Leeds."

Pictured is John Avison, account director of Grayling Public Relations, and Jane Cooban, a year seven pupil of Benton Park School.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.