CHILDREN at The Oxford Nursery took centre stage at their annual harvest festival assembly to help raise vital funds for charity.

Forty children, aged between seven months and five, dressed as pumpkins, scarecrows, cows and sheep at the nursery in Sanders Road, Oxford Science Park.

The assembly was part of a fundraising initiative to raise £1,000 for the African Children’s Fund by the end of the year.

Nursery staff are still counting donations, but proceeds will go towards a 12-month’s supply of porridge for children at Quentin Junior Academy in Tanzania.

Children performed Old MacDonald Had A Farm, created their own stories based on the nursery rhyme and helped prepare a broccoli, cabbage, green pea and broad bean soup.

Manager Alanah Johnson said: “Our harvest performance went very well. The children made their own masks, cow ears, and pig and duck noses, and some parents made costumes at home.”

The nursery group, which also has centres in Littlemore, Summertown, Chalgrove and Eynsham, has raised more than £6,000 for the charity since 2012.

Managing director Dawn Farrell said: “Children are learning from a very young age to be considerate of others less fortunate, while having fun.”