SOME 97 children, 80 adults and assorted pet dogs were spotted walking to Dunster First School last week as part of their annual Walk to School Wednesday.

Two groups of children and adults set off from Carhampton and Minehead, meeting at Dunster Steep before walking the final stretch to school.

Children and adults living in Dunster joined the walk as they made their way through Dunster.

A third group of children and adults walked to school from Nutcombe Bottom leaving slightly earlier in the morning than the main two groups.

One pupil, year three youngster Millie Salway decided to use the occasion to walk to school from her home in Luxborough to raise money for the Children's Hospital in Bristol.

Accompanied by her mum, Millie walked six miles a day over four days and in all weathers.

Her fellow pupils helped with the fundraising effort by taking in coins to cover a picture that Millie had drawn of her walk to school.

So far she has raised £50 for the hospital, but anyone who would like to boost the total can still make a donation through the school.

As part of Walk to School Wednesday, the school council ran a competition to see which class could get the most children to walk to school.

The honours were shared by the year two and year four classes, who each managed to get 85 per cent of their students to walk to school.

Headteacher Peter Hoyland said: "We were delighted with the number of children who joined in with this year's Walk to School Wednesday.

"It was an incredible sight to see so many children and adults walking along the A39 in their high visibility jackets.

"I would like to say a special well done to Millie Salway and her incredible efforts to raise money for Bristol Children's Hospital."

Photos: Steve Guscott