GRATEFUL parents have given more than £2,000 to Thornton House School in Worcester after asking their wedding guests to give donations instead of conventional gifts.

"It's staggeringly generous and really heart-warming," said headteacher Hugh Thomas, after Mark and Philippa Aucott, of North-wick Road, handed over a cheque for £2,110.

He said the money would go towards a makeover for the school's nursery assessment unit, which is attended by the Aucotts' three-year-old daug-hter, Bethany, who has special needs.

"I can't sing the praises of the people who work here loudly enough," said Mr Aucott. "It's as if Bethany has two homes, because she is treated with the same love we give her by the dedicated people here."

He said he and Philippa, who also have a five-year-old daughter, Megan, at Northwick Infants School, had been together for 10 years.

Mrs Aucott, aged 34, is from Claines, Worcester, but her husband, a 39-year-old self-employed builder, is from Leicester, where they lived until two years ago.

"We have built up our home and didn't need wedding presents, so we asked for donations to the school instead," he said. "We want to say a big thankyou to everyone for their generosity."

He said they had seen unbelievable progress in Bethany since she had been at Thornton House School, in Wyld's Lane.

"Her needs are such that she has a physical ability, but her mental ability and particularly her communication, needs to be brought on," he said.

"As parents we are constantly working towards that, but we are being taught by the staff, who are so skilled in getting Bethany to communicate that her prog-ress is phenomenal."