YOUNGSTERS have been rewarded for achieving top attendance at school.

The Schools Tackling Absence and Rewarding Success programme (Stars), which is run by Stockton Borough Council's education social work service, held an award ceremony for children who improved their attendance.

The event, which was held at Middlesbrough Football Club's Riverside Stadium, was for youngsters who achieved a 100, 99 and 98 per cent attendance records.

Stars provides incentives for children to go to school and is aimed at those who take on average a day off per week and miss out on 20 per cent of their education.

Autoplus Ltd, Stockton, supplied eight bikes to reward the children.

In total, 70 youngsters from across the 21 schools within the Stockton Deanery, Thornaby Excellence in Cities Action Zone and the Mill Lane and Parkfield Neighbourhood Renewal Scheme, took part in the event and had their names drawn out of a hat for the bike raffle.

Helen Surtees, attendance project worker for Stars, said: "Stars aims to help schools raise standards and install good habits from an early age."