TAXI drivers from Weymouth are going the extra mile to take poorly children on a special day out.

The night shift from Fleetline Taxis will be hitting the road for Paultons Park in Hampshire with 14 families from Julia’s House and the Claire Lemmon Fund.

Many of the youngsters are battling cancer and leukaemia or are recovering from fighting the diseases.

Night shift manager Chris Haye said he was inspired after seeing pictures of trips the taxi company used to run for charity.

Now drivers will be donning fancy dress and donating their tips from fares on Saturday night towards the cost of entry to the park.

He said: “It will be worth it to see the smiles on the children’s faces.

“It’s only a day. It’s not to the ends of the Earth and won’t cost a great deal of fuel.”

Seven families from Weymouth, one from Bridport, two from Sturminster Newton and four from Poole will go on the trip to Paultons Park theme park in the New Forest.

Mr Haye said that the drivers first took youngsters from the Claire Lemmon Fund on trips to Legoland and Chessington World of Adventures 20 years ago.

He said that drivers from the office in Westham Road enjoyed the trips and he was inspired to re-start the trips after digging out an old notice board with pictures of drivers and youngsters on the days out.

Some of the drivers who went on the trips in the 80s and early 90s included Martin Bull, Robert Haye and Phil Watkins.

Mr Haye said: “We first did it in 1988 and then did it for the next three to four years.

“We went to Chessington twice and once to Legoland. I looked out the old photos and I was welling up. Some of those youngsters are no longer with us.”

Mr Haye said that all of the night shift drivers volunteered to take the families and the day shift agreed to stay on later to cover.

The journeys are all paid and food for lunches has been donated by local firms. But they need about £500 to pay for the children’s admission fees to the park.

Anyone who wants to donate can call 07969 336081 and 01305 783252 or call into Fleetline.