Photographer Terry Ife and Exmouth Community College student Grace Hart visited St Joseph’s school where children held a superheroes day for Help For Heroes.

Superheroes galore turned out in force at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School when the pupils marked National Heroes Day.

Heroes Day is driven by Robin and Jenny Hollington, in memory of their son Richard, who trained at Lympstone Commando Training Centre and served with Taunton-based 40 Commando. He died in June 2010, aged 23, from wounds sustained while on duty in Afghanistan.

St Joseph’s showed their support for those serving their country after four-and-half-year-old pupil Henry Needham’s mum, Tania, highlighted the cause.

Throwing themselves into the spirit of the day, the whole school – pupils and staff – arrived dressed as their own interpretation of a hero.

The imaginative array of costumes included nurses, doctors, cowboys, Royal Marines and a host of superheroes.

One youngster arrived as lifeboat crew while another dressed as Amelia Earheart – the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo.

The youngsters all paid �1 to dress as heroes, raising around �170 for troops injured in conflict.

Mrs Needham, wife of a Royal Marine based at Lympstone, said: “Everybody loved it and really enjoyed themselves. It looked fantastic.”

Mrs Needham hoped schools and businesses throughout Exmouth would join St Joseph’s in future years, marking the annual event.

Around 34,000 people across the country were expected to dress up to mark National Heroes Day, October 21, which has been fully endorsed by Prime Minister David Cameron.

He was made aware of the cause after Robin Hollington wrote with the idea of holding an official day to be marked annually.

In a letter to Mr Hollington, the Prime Minister wrote: “It is heartening to hear how much you and the local community have already achieved since the sad loss of Richard, and are looking ahead to a National Heroes Day.

“This is an excellent initiative and I note that the idea has already taken root and been a great success locally. I fully endorse any project that encourages community participation and increases knowledge and support for our service personnel.”

The idea to dress as heroes came from Richard Hollington’s friend, Danny Glavin. Teacher Danny climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in August for Help for Heroes in memory of his friend.

Instead of sponsorship, Danny invited schools to allow their pupils to honour their own heroes.