BEFORE the school year came to a close, 16 pupils from King’s College took part in one last effort to raise money for charity.

The 16 sixth form girls from Meynell House, along with deputy house-mistress Liz Gregory, slept outside to raise money for Taunton Association for the Homeless and the work they do for vulnerable people.

More than £800 has been raised for the charity that provides help and support to rough sleepers in the town.

King’s College says it has supported the charity in the past.

The girls slept on the boarding house patio with only flattened cardboard boxes and a sleeping bag for comfort.

The group managed to sleep until 5.30am when noisy seagulls woke them.

A spokesman for the school said: “Luckily the weather stayed fine, but had it rained.

“The girls agreed to stay outside, and despite the rather talkative seagulls, they ‘slept’ until 5.30am.

“We are immensely proud of their desire to, even slightly, experience the challenges of rough sleeping and hope that they will continue to be sympathetic towards those that experience this on a daily basis.

“To date the girls’ efforts have raised £827.”