PROMISES as varied as a lunch at the famous Gidleigh Park Hotel or an Indian head massage will be raising money for vitally important computer equipment at a tiny village school next month.

The Silent Promise Auction is being held by the parents? association of Spreyton Primary School, a small school of just 37 pupils.

The PTFA is aiming to raise at least £1,500 to buy five laptops for the school?s computer suite ? and chairperson Carol Hole said response to the auction has been ?excellent?.

?People have been overwhelming,? said Carole. ?We are up to about 90 pledges at the moment? my goal was 100, so we are nearly there. Now we just want loads of people to justify the promises by coming along and getting a good level of bidding.?

Fliers have been sent out to neighbouring villages and Carole said she hoped the very varied selection of promises would attract plenty of custom.

Children at the school have made a big ?thermometer? to measure the success of the laptop appeal and Carole said the PTFA were really hoping for a good night.

?We do lots of small fundraising events but when the headmistress said this was what they really wanted, it gave us a goal to aim for,? said Carole.

Cynthia Higbee, headteacher at Spreyton School, said: ?We are very grateful to the PTFA for organising this auction.

?Laptops are extremely important to us and will be of great value to the children.?

Mrs Higbee said there was ?tremendous? community support for the laptop computer fund and she hoped the auction would be a huge success.

?It?s an idea that?s really taken off ? it?s very exciting for us,? she said.

Bidders at the auction will be spoilt for choice. There will be a great variety of promises both large and small, including a golf lesson, tickets to the theatre, a day?s fishing, several nights? bed and breakfast, a six week supply of free-range eggs, children?s party catering and two baby guinea pigs!

Carole said the PTFA hope that in addition to raising much-needed money for the school, everyone attending the auction will have a great social evening ? a licensed bar has also been laid on, provided by the Tom Cobley pub.

The auction takes place in Spreyton Village Hall on Saturday May 15 between 7pm and 9pm. The doors open at 6.30pm, to allow bidders to look at all the tempting promises on offer. Bidding tickets are available at 50p on the door.