Members of a youth group pitched in to help after a preschool was ravaged by fire.

The youngsters from Rotary Interact launched a drive to replace lost toys and equipment after Warwick Preschool was damaged by fire earlier this month.

Cathy Bassett, an adviser with Rotary Interact, said: “It really brought tears to my eyes.

“It helped me to realise that they have very kind and generous hearts. I was just overjoyed.”

She was speaking after members of the group presented several bags of new and used items — including toys, puzzles and books — to the principal of Warwick Preschool, Jennifer DeRosa Holder, last week.

Ms Bassett said: “She was just taken aback. She was very excited. She was saying how appreciative she is and how appreciative her staff are.”

Ms Bassett added that the principal’s car was filled with the items presented by the youth group.

She said that extra donations would be dropped off for pupils at the school this week.

Warwick Primary School on Middle Road, which also houses the preschool, was hit by fire earlier this month. Ms Bassett, a former school employee, said she had told the youth group about the fire.

She added: “We came up with the idea together that it would a nice to replace some of the lost items.”

Ms Bassett said the youth members used a group chat to keep one another motivated and remind each other about “what the cause was”.

She added: “I don’t think it was a competition, I just think they wanted to bring as many items as they could.

“I just think they wanted to make the children happy and put a smile on their faces.”

Ms Bassett said the youngsters bought new items from stores and rounded up used items in good condition from friends and families that had children who had outgrown them.

She added that in many cases the youngsters paid for new items themselves.

Ms Bassett said: “It was their pocket money, plus some of the parents assisted.”

The Interact programme is made up of public and private school pupils aged between 12 and 18.

Ms Bassett said: “It’s quite a dynamic and diverse group.”

The members of the group are Nadhiri Simons-Worrell, Onuri-Smith, Natalie Calderon, Madison Quig, Grace McNamara, Olywn Matthews, Veronica Swan-Degraff, Tyler Caines, Calvina Steede, Tessa Dill, Isabella Wright, Mya Armstrong, Cree Dunn, Kebrehn Smith, Kelly Trott, Jaiden Furbert- Jacobs, Roneeyah Jones, Angel Seaman, Alizje Martin-Simons, Rio Walker, Corinne Pelletier, Florencio Espinoza Morales, Hannibal Ladegaard and Pedro Pantaleao.