CASH is beginning to roll in to boost the Somerset County Gazette's 'Stop It Before It Starts' campaign.

Supporters are rallying round to back the effort, which aims to raise £120,000 to put a mobile classroom on the road to teach primary schoolchildren about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

The County Gazette campaign is highlighting the work of charity group Learning Education Centres, which is looking to set up the mobile education programme in Somerset.

Now kind-hearted supporters are digging deep to help get the fundraising effort off the ground.

Members of the Rotary Club of Taunton have been the first to step forward with a donation for the LEC project, and have now handed over £1,500 for the appeal.

The cash was raised at a Sing Sankey charity hymn event run in conjunction with the Salvation Army when donations were collected from revellers.

The Rotary Club decided to hand the money over to the Somerset LEC project after charity director Stephen Burgess spoke to members about the work of the group and the positive effect the mobile classrooms have had in other parts of the country.

Supporters are working hard to raise the £120,000 needed to buy and equip the mobile classroom, and fund a trained educator to help 16,000 pupils at 100 primary schools in an area stretching from Taunton, Wellington and Wiveliscombe to Minehead and Bridgwater.