A MATHS café has been helping children to put their number work into practice in a Dorchester school.

Year 4 pupils at Manor Park First School in Mellstock Avenue have been counting customers, working out the profit of each day's sales, handling money and manning the till.

Every autumn the week-long activity returns to raise money for maths equipment for the school and to bring the subject to life.

This year the event is also supporting FoodAid for the first time.

All the donations collected will go to the charitable organisation and the children are delighted that so far they have raised enough money to buy a cow.

Teaching assistant Pip Parkinson said: "They have raised £35 through donations which is enough to buy a cow for a Third World country, and we will have raised £500 from café takings for equipment to help children with their number work.

"We invited parents to come in and other visitors such as governors, and teachers come in at staff breaks.

"At least 100 children have come through the café every day, everybody loves it."

She added: "The children have been doing everything. Teaching assistants set up the café and then a different 15 children start afresh every day.

"They serve cold drinks, help to serve cakes, welcome customers and even do the washing up.

"They've done absolutely brilliantly because they start completely new every morning and they are very tired by the end of the day.

"It's like an extended maths lesson for those children who come in, and we expect them to conduct themselves properly - by being polite and keeping tables clear so it's a little bit of work experience as well."