Fears over Ugandan school

The Stirlands fear that pupils at the school are in danger

An East Midlands couple who have raised funds for a school in Uganda say they fear for the safety of its pupils.

Jim and Lorna Stirland of Eastwood in Nottinghamshire are concerned that rebels are operating near the Halcyon High School in Soroti, central Uganda.

The couple, who have used money from their odd-job firm Another Pair of Hands to support the school, have built up strong ties with the country.

Their close friend Hellen Adoa, 31, principal at the school, has had her life threatened by Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, the couple say.

Feelings of fear

The Stirlands have funded Hellen's education and supported her school for years.

"More than 250,000 people have been chased by the rebels into the countryside as they move further and further south," Mr Stirland said.

"They are basically bandits, and they are raiding schools and hospitals."

HALCYON SCHOOL It is a very well respected mixed boarding secondary school Jim Stirland

He said Hellen, who visited schools in Derbyshire last year while on a tour of the East Midlands, has been advised by her family to leave the area but she is refusing to move.

Hellen told BBC News on Wednesday: "I have a lot of fear, but I have to stay around for the students - I can't just leave my school just like that."

Mr Stirland met Hellen in Uganda when he was site manager at a building project at a school she was attending in 1994.

Mr Stirland said 25 people were recently attacked and killed on a bus on the edge of Soroti.

The Halycon school, which was built with funds raised in the East Midlands, opened in 2001 with 110 students.

Mr Stirland has made six trips to Uganda to help with the development of the school and oversee where the money from England is spent.