STAFF and pupils at Sunfield School in Clent were happy to receive a visit from the law when a senior partner from solicitors Higgs & Sons turned up with a cheque for more than £7,500.

Employees at the Black Country law firm - which has offices in Stourbridge, Kingswinford and Brierley Hill - raised the cash on behalf of the special school by staging a series of fundraisers over the last 12 months.

Senior partner Ian Shovlin said: "We chose Sunfield as our adopted charity because of the excellent work it undertakes with children with such complex needs.

"Everyone at Higgs got involved in the fundraising and this cheque really does represent a great effort made by the entire team."

Fundraisers included quiz nights, cake sales and a charity dragon boat race at Himley Hall in Dudley.

Sunfield, which provides 52-week education and care to youngsters with severe learning disabilites such as autism, is in the middle of a mammoth £3.5m appeal to build new classrooms at the sprawling 60-acre site off Woodman Lane.

Ian Jones, director of appeals and development at Sunfield, said: "We are very appreciative of the support received from Higgs & Sons during 2006.

"Not only did they raise such a fantastic amount, but throughout the year staff came along to the school and helped out with a variety of tasks.

"Everyone here at Sunfield is extremely grateful for all their efforts."

Meanwhile youngsters at a Tividale school took Sunfield to their hearts and raised more than £6,000 for the school.

Children at Oakham Primary raised the money by staging a succession of fun-packed fundraisers over the last 18 months.

Deputy head teacher Val Turner said kids had raked in the cash by selling wristbands, holding raffles and sponsored events, running a weekly lottery, a DVD sale and by manning a stall at the Sunfield summer carnival.