BARROW nursery children swapped the classroom for the outdoors on Friday as children, parents and teachers came together to build makeshift dens to raise money for a charity which helps youngsters in developing countries.

Children at Roose Nursery unearthed their creative side by making hideouts put together with pegs, pipes and tarpaulin as part of a Den Day to raise money for Save the Children.

Vicky Bell, who manages the nursery, said: "It's quite fitting at the moment to do this kind of thing given that a lot of people are having to travel from country to country.

"Doing this really helps to put it into context and show the kids how hard it is for families who are homeless."

As well as overseeing the construction of the dens, Mrs Bell joined three other brave teachers at the nursery to sleep in the dens overnight and raise £150 for charity.

She added: "It wasn't planned at the start but we thought let's go with it, let's experience what some families across the world have to experience every night."

Many parents came in on the day to help the kids build the dens, including Callum Monks from Barrow, who supported his four-year-old son Theo.

He said: "I'm always trying to interact and do as many things with Theo as I can and this is no different. It's nice to do something with the school which everyone can join in with."

Ewen Davidson, also from Barrow, attended to help his daughter Grace, also four, construct her khaki-themed hideout.

He said: "All these kids are fortunate enough to have a roof over their heads but not everybody in the world has access to that.

"It gives them a fun aspect of learning but Grace is also asking why we are doing it and I'm telling her why this is so important.

"There is more chance of them understanding it like this than there is in the classroom."