A GROUP of girl guides took on a mammoth task at the weekend by helping to renovate and refurbish an old house into a pre-school. Finchingfield Guide group have been invited by the school staff to re-decorate the run down house in the grounds of Finchingf

A GROUP of girl guides took on a mammoth task at the weekend by helping to renovate and refurbish an old house into a pre-school.

Finchingfield Guide group have been invited by the school staff to re-decorate the run down house in the grounds of Finchingfield primary school.

Headteacher and guide leader Paula Hagan said: "The girls will be going on a trip to Malaysia in 2009 as part of an aid project which will involve them building much needed facilities. We thought it would be great idea to see what they could do in just one weekend."

The primary school is just coming to the end of a big investment and building programme which includes a new school hall and the completion of the pre-school so the opportunity to have extra hands on deck was gratefully accepted by the school staff.

The guides, aged between 14 and 18, will be part of a group of 20 spending two weeks working with the Orang Asli tribe building a children's playground followed by a week in Borneo working with environmental charity WWF.

Mrs Hagan added: "This weekend has been great practice for them, and they are now ready to embark on this wonderful adventure."

The girls worked from Friday afternoon until Sunday midday to complete the new home for Finchingfield's pre-school. They managed to complete all their work, including a mural, ready for the old building to be used once again.

Mrs Hagan said: "It was fantastic. It saved the school money and also gave the girls some great experience.