A school held a bad hair day to raise money for its deputy head teacher to take to Ethiopia.

Ian Gasper, deputy head teacher at Ilkley Grammar School, and his wife, Jan Gasper, head teacher at Otley All Saints CoE Primary School are due to leave Wharfedale at the end of January on a two-year educational programme.

The couple, who are both 57 and live in Burley-in-Wharfedale, have signed up with Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) to teach teacher trainers.

Working in the Eastern part of the country, they will be helping teacher trainers gain the higher diploma - devised three years ago by two VSO volunteers in association with the Ethiopian Government.

They will have to get used to more basic living accommodation and will be paid a combined wage of £124 per month.

Their respective schools said farewell to the couple at the end of the year and both are looking forward to regular updates.

Dr Joan Kirkland, a governor at All Saints Primary School, said Mrs Gasper would be sadly missed.

The former head teacher of Otley All Saints Infant School was the first head teacher of the town's combined All Saints Primary School - after the reorganisation of primary education in the town in 2002.

Dr Kirkland said Mrs Gasper had been faced with pulling the school together as well as coping with getting the extended Lisker Drive premises being finished in time.

"She pulled everything together and the school has made steady progress it is now top of the ratings in Otley schools.

"We've always believed that every child is precious. Jan knows all the children by name and has fought for the very best for them."

Dr Kirkland said instead of resting on her laurels, Mrs Gasper had decided to take a new direction.

"I think it is absolutely marvellous and I only wish I had the courage to do it," she said.

Mr Gasper, at IGS for 18 years, helped the school make its transition to its present tier system and saw numbers rise from 1,200 pupils to 1,500. School governor, Councillor Martin Smith, said Mr Gasper had always been interested in overseas projects and had even taken some of the older pupils abroad. "I am sure he will do very well, he is very adaptable and has been a very able deputy head teacher.

"He is a bit of an outdoors type and does a lot of walking. He's certainly not the five-star hotels type and I'm sure he will cope," said Coun Smith.