Youngsters from Lockleaze Primary will run out on the Twickenham turf tomorrow – and the biggest cheer will come from former pupil Karen Brasier.

For it is thanks to Karen that the children will have a day to remember at the home of English rugby.

The youngsters earned the chance to play at Twickers after winning the Bristol Rugby Wooden Spoon Tag Championship at the Memorial Stadium.

Their reward was to act as a warm-up to the Guinness Premiership final between Leicester Tigers and London Irish in front of 80,000 spectators.

But although the trip is subsidised £250 for travel costs, the school was facing a bill of at least double that.

Luckily, its appeal via the Evening Post for sponsors to help cover the expenses was noticed by Karen, 45, managing director of Cabot Training.

She said: "I started at that school, which was then Romney Avenue Infant and Junior, 40 years ago and my brothers and sister went there. Our parents still live in Lockleaze.

"I decided I wanted to support the kids. It is going to be great for them to go to Twickenham. It will be an awesome experience that they will always remember."

Karen, whose north Bristol-based company provides management training, said the skills delivered in team sports helped children develop into tomorrow's leaders.

"It is also important for children to have aspirations. I went on to be successful in business after starting at that school and it is good for them to see that."

By coincidence, the day she saw the Post appeal, Karen, from Soundwell, attended a dinner at Bishopston Rugby Club, where her brother Andrew Priddy has been coach for the five- to eight-year-olds team.

And by the end of the evening, the club had also agreed to give the school £250.

The club, which has played in Lockleaze since 1964, has a number of first-team players who used to attend the primary.

Ken Thawley, school liaison officer for the club, said: "We were delighted to fund this opportunity. We are constantly looking for new players and we would like to ensure that, following this event, we continue to support the school through providing extra help with coaching and training opportunities."

Richard Reddrop, head of community services at Lockleaze Primary, said the school was thrilled with the £500 boost from Cabot Training and Bishopston Rugby Club.

"Any money left over from the trip will be put to good use," he pledged.