A PILE of loose change has been collected for charity after being donated by Christmas shoppers in Durham.

Thousands of coins were thrown into the wishing pool at Santa’s Grotto in the Prince Bishops Centre over the holiday period.

The cash has now been collected up, counted and handed over to the Mayor and Mayoress of Durham.

Mayor Coun Grenville Holland joined staff at the shopping centre to count up the pennies, which reached a total £165.91.

The Prince Bishop’s Centre added to the total and a final cheque for £250 was presented to The Mayor’s Appeal Charity.

Centre manager Richard Toynbee said: "The old saying ‘every penny counts’ is certainly true, it just goes to show that the smallest amount can make a big difference.

"I would like to thank everyone who threw a coin into our wishing pool; this money is a great start to the New Year for The Mayor’s Appeal."

This year’s Mayor’s Appeal is dedicated to supporting The County Durham Society for the Blind and Partially Sighted.

The charity, set up over 20 years ago, offers a range of services designed to improve the quality of life and reduce the sense of isolation many visually impaired people feel.