A SPECIAL school has enlisted Cockney charm in its quest to raise funds for a hydrotherapy pool.

Oakview School, in Whitehills Road, Loughton, needs to raise £75,000 within 18 months to gain a matched grant from Essex County Council for the pool, which will help the disabled pupils it caters for.

Away from her day job as a teaching assistant at the school, Teresa Watts is the Pearly Queen of Clapton and has pledged her support for fund-raising by organising a Cockney Night.

She said: “Doing what I do and knowing what we collect it's a huge amount of money so we are trying to get the community involved. The pool will be a benefit for the whole community not just disabled children.”

School deputy head Diane Ryan said: “We provide support for children with moderate learning difficulties but we now have a few children with more complicated needs. The hydrotherapy pool provides an opportunity to warm their muscles. If you have a child with arthritis, as one of our children has, it enables them to move more easily.

“We are currently using a pool in Epping and it can take them two hours for them to get there and back. There's lots of children who would benefit.”

The school has already started fund-raising through a summer fete and also plans to hold a Christmas ball.

Mrs Ryan said: “It's quite a lot of money for a small school. So far we have got £700 which is a good start.

“We are hoping it could be used by the community. Maybe elderly people could use our pool. We'll be a very valuable resource.”

The Cockney Night will take place on Saturday, February 27 with a band and buffet at the Working Men's Club in Station Road, Loughton starting at 7pm. Tickets priced £15 are available by calling Teresa on 07904 903903 or 020 8508 6467.