A fundraising campaign launched by the Deaf Academy to ensure its students can safely cross the road is now more than halfway towards its target.

The campaign was launched this summer to contribute to the cost of a crossing to improve road safety along the busy Douglas Avenue.

In May, East Devon’s Highways and Traffic Committee approved plans to install a £100,000 puffin crossing on the busy stretch by the academy gates.

The Deaf Academy committed to raise £30,000 towards the cost.

A puffin crossing has extra sensors and features which will help the students cross safely and is an upgrade from a standard crossing.

Sylvan Dewing, principal of the Deaf Academy, said: "Thank you to everyone who has generously donated towards a vital safe road crossing for our Deaf students and the local community.

"We now need one final push to help us reach our target.

"The crossing will ensure our students can confidently and safely engage in activities and be a valuable part of the town."

Students and staff have been campaigning to get the safe crossing installed, between the academy’s entrance and exit gates on Douglas Avenue, since it relocated from Exeter in 2020.

Students have joined the campaign this summer, creating their own puffin artworks.

Deaf Academy student Abi, 14, thanked everyone for helping with the fundraising.

She said: "This crossing is really important and will help us all to cross the road in safety."

The Deaf Academy has 75 students, who are aged nine to 25 and are Deaf with additional needs.

They are encouraged by the academy to develop life skills that will support future independence.

Supporting them to access both the academy and other town services via a safe crossing would help contribute towards this.

The academy has satellite sites within close walking distance of the main campus, these include its nearby children’s home and recently opened adult learning and residential centre, Fearnside House, which caters for Deaf students aged between 19 and 25.

Students engage in many community projects, work placements and trips.

They also deliver newspapers, as part of their enterprise projects, and provide free deaf awareness and British Sign Language training to local community groups, in line with the academy’s charitable objectives.

The academy has created a JustGiving page where people can make donations to the project.

Thanks to a recent legacy from a generous supporter, the academy’s trustees are in a position to match every pound donated to this fundraising page, so the value of any donation will be doubled.