A MOTHER wasted no time in deciding who should benefit from a holiday to Disneyland she won as part of a Northern Echo competition.

Only a day after she won the top prize in the 12 Days of Christmas competition, Lynne Newton, from Spennymoor, County Durham, booked the holiday as a 21st birthday present for her daughter, Ruth.

Miss Newton will travel to Disneyland Paris with her best friend, Brogan McGarr.

News of the prize, provided by Gold Crest Holidays, came as an early Christmas present for Mrs Newton.

She said: “When I got the call, I just presumed I had won one of the runners-up prizes, so I was over the moon when I found out I had won the holiday.

It makes sense for Ruth to go and it will be a fantastic way to finish off her birthday celebrations.

“Ruth and Brogan went to school together and have known each other since they were five, so they are best friends. They get on so well and will have a great time.

They will certainly keep everyone entertained on the trip over to France.”

Winners of the £60 Smyth’s toy vouchers were the Wearmouth family and the Leak family, both from Darlington; the Green family from Howden- le-Wear; the Camp family from Wheatbottom; the Sanderson family and the Dunnett family, both from Willington; the Lincoln family, from Bearpark; the Sheppard family, from Stanhope; the Bielby family, from Northallerton; and the Davies family, from Trimdon Grange.

The winner of the £50 Frankie and Benny’s voucher was the Carter family, from Castle Eden.

The Hodgson family, from Butterknowle, won a family pass for Alton Towers, while the Boulton family, from Spennymoor, won £100 of vouchers for the Gates shopping centre in Newcastle.

The Waterson family, from Willington, and the Goulding family, from Darlington, won a Jelly Belly machine.

Family tickets to Batman at Newcastle Arena were won by the Bower family, from Darlington.

Meanwhile the Martin family, from Darlington, will go to see the town’s pantomime.