TWO primary school friends went bananas to raise vital funds for a Colchester charity.

Pals Giles Cresswell and Alex Bellamy, who are both pupils at Littlegarth School in Nayland, ran more than six miles from their school to St Helena Hospice in Barncroft Close, Highwoods, Colchester.

But running such a long distance on one of the hottest days of the year wasn’t enough for the schoolboys, both 11, who completed their fundraiser while dressed in bright yellow banana outfits.

They bought their costumes for the fruity fundraiser after agreeing to take part in the hospice’s £10 challenge which sees schoolchildren from across north Essex tasked with turning £10 into as much as they can to support St Helena.

“It was really warm dressing up as a banana on one of the hottest days of the year but raising money for St Helena is a very good cause,” said Giles.

Alex added: “Dressing up as bananas to raise money for St Helena seemed like a good way to stand out from other fundraising activities my friends are doing.”

Despite the summer heat, the kind-hearted friends completed their challenge and raised more than £1,000 to support the hospice.