The Hartlepool headteacher trying to find beds for 10,000 sleep-deprived pupils

Tees Valley project is hoping to help 10,000 children whose ability to learn is suffering as a result of bed poverty

At Rift House primary school in Hartlepool classrooms now have spaces in which children can sleep. We see little ones coming in worn out," said Dave Turner, the school's headteacher. Sometimes they are sharing a bed with siblings. Sometimes they share with different families."

The cash-strapped school gives all its children free breakfasts, PE kits and stationery, but beds were a stretch too far. However, that is about to change thanks to a charitable project led by another local head, which launched last week and aims to deliver 10,000 new beds to children in the Tees Valley in the next three years. Turner's school already has a list of families they want the project to help.