Hundreds of schoolchildren across the county are set to benefit after the Shropshire Star’s Cash 4 Our Schools campaign dished out more than £20,000.

Fifteen finalists walked away with cheques with the winner — Churchstoke County Primary School in Montgomery – scooping £10,000 and two runners-up taking £5,000 each.

The other 12 schools thought they were going away from Saturday’s presentation at The New Bucks Head in Wellington empty-handed but were each given “surprise” cheques for £100.

Julie Saunders, a supervisor at Randlay Roundabouts Pre-School in Telford, said: “The £100 prize was a great surprise.”

Annemarie Kinnersley, a teacher at Harlescott Junior School in Shrewsbury, said: “The school did really well and collected a lot of tokens so we are happy.”

Andy Maxwell, circulation sales manager at the Shropshire Star, said: “Every school can’t win and we wanted to give the finalists something to say well done.

“Everyone who took part should be very proud and the Shropshire Star would like to congratulate them all.”

Taking home a cheque for £5,000 was Queenswood Primary School, of Ketley Bank, Telford, and headteacher Becca Butler said the news came as a shock. “We are just thrilled to bits,” she said.

Terry Adlington, Shropshire Star circulation manager for the west division, said: “There were a lot of very good schools out there and they all made the effort.”

The 12 schools which got a cheque for £100 were: Berriew County Primary School, Welshpool; Brynhafren Primary School, Shrewsbury; Clunbury Church of England Primary, Clunbury; Greenacres Primary School, Shrewsbury; Hollinswood Junior School, Telford; Ifton Heath Primary School, St Martins; Market Drayton Junior School; Norbury Primary School, Bishop’s Castle; St. Mary’s Church of England Primary School, Bucknell and Ysgol Cedewain, Maesyrhandir, Newtown.

By Jason Lavan