Umbongo Eco Detectives

Pupils from Oakleigh House School, Swansea, ventured deep in the jungle to stage an evening of song and dance ­ and raised £600 to help keep the buzz in bumblebees.

Acrobatic monkeys, flying bats, an anaconda and lithesome jaguar used the school gym apparatus linked to the stage to climb through the tropical jungle set while background songs were provided by Year 6 pupils dressed in Um Jungle Patrol sweatshirts. After the break, members of the school choir sang a jazz version of the story of the creation.

Headmistress Mrs Penny Cole said: “It was a sell out ­ the hall was packed. The environmental theme really encouraged the children to think about how we should be safeguarding our environment and helping to protect some of the endangered animals.”

Oakleigh House School has a special link with jungle antics. Eleven-year-old pupil Elizabeth George, of Rhyd-y-Defaid Drive, Sketty, is ambassador for Wales for Um Jungle Patrol, a national campaign sponsored by Um Bongo, the tropical fruit juice drink, which aims to involve youngsters in conservation projects while raising funds for endangered species at home and abroad.

Elizabeth, who has already helped raise money through the charity WWF for threatened bumblebees by selling charity Christmas cards, holding raffles and worked to revamp of the school gardens, said: " It's great to have a chance to do something more to help the threatened creatures."

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