A CHEQUE for more than £3,000 was presented to St Teresa's Hospice in Darlington, thanks to the efforts of children in the town.

Pupils from ten schools raised money by singing carols in the Queen Street Shopping Centre.

The amount they collected was matched by Barclays Bank, taking the total to £3,028.

Hospice director Jane Bradshaw was given the cheque by Queen Street centre manager Rory Fleming.

She said: "We are thrilled with the total raised for the hospice and would like to thank Queen Street Shopping Centre, as well as the local schools and the public, for their support."

The schools involved were Cockerton Primary, St Augustine's RC Primary, Alderman Leach Junior, Holy Family Primary, Reid Street Primary, Springfield Primary, Skerne Park Primary, Haughton Community, Whinfield Primary and Carmel College of Technology.