Children from a Cumbrian primary school who held a fundraising drive to help one of the world’s most endangered mammals were rewarded with a trip to meet the animals face-to-face.

Fundraising by Broughton Moor Primary School enabled them to adopt one of the the Lake District Wildlife Park’s ring tailed lemurs, but they also had almost £120 remaining to directly donate to the SEED Madagascar charity.

The group of 20 five to seven-year-olds raised the money by making gifts to sell to the local community, including plant pots, scented Christmas pinecones, and art-work crafted from recycled cans, tubs and leaves.

Their efforts were rewarded with a visit to the Lake District Wildlife Park to meet three different lemur species: ring tailed, red ruffed and black and white ruffed.

It comes as the wildlife park’s oldest resident ring tailed lemur, Dyson, reached the grand old age of 24 - much older than an average 18 years in the wild and 20 years even in captivity.

He celebrated his birthday with cupcakes made with some of his favourite food: cous cous, carrots, onions and peas

During the trip, the Broughton Moor Primary School pupils met Dyson, made lemur masks and were presented with lemur badges and a letter of thanks by Julian the giant lemur mascot.

Broughton Moor Primary School teacher Holly Landells believes it has been a very worthwhile experience for the children.

She said: “The children were so excited to make their crafts to help the lemurs, who they chose to help themselves through a class vote.

"It was a fantastic learning experience, from making the crafts, pricing them up, selling them and then learning all about lemurs and Madagascar.

“They were extremely pleased to meet the real lemurs at the park and receive a cuddly toy lemur, who is now our class mascot.”

Marketing and education co-ordinator at the wildlife park, Lucy Dunn, added: “It is fantastic this group of local schoolchildren have shown such enthusiasm about these delightful animals and have had the chance to meet them face-to-face too.

“The park has a long-standing relationship with SEED Madagascar and we will continue working with local communities right here in Cumbria to help support their good work.”

Deforestation, habitat destruction, hunting and poaching for the pet trade are major threats to ring tailed lemurs and the Wildlife Park works with conservation charity SEED Madagascar to help protect the world’s only wild populations in Madagascar.

Lake District Wildlife Park near Keswick is home to more than 100 species of birds, reptiles and mammals, across 24 acres of Armathwaite Hall’s wider estate. ‘Must sees’ including red panda, mandrills, Grants zebras, black wildebeest, an American bald eagle and Europe’s oldest gibbon.

It is the only wildlife park within the UK’s newest World Heritage Site. As a member of BIAZA (The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums), the Park participates in six endangered species programmes, as well as actively supporting three charities and jointly managing two SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) on the shores of Bassenthwaite Lake.

Visitors can take part in experiences ranging from ‘Apprentice Keeper’ sessions to ‘Lemur Encounters’, ‘Meet the Meercats’ and ‘Hawk Walks’.

Visit www.lakedistrictwildlifepark.co.uk or @LakesWildlife for information such as opening times.