Hartlepool primary school is top of the poppies

Throston Primary School collected an impressive £545, more than any other of the town’s 30 primary schools.

Hartlepool Rotary Club, which plays a major role in Hartlepool’s annual Poppy Appeal, presented pupils with the Ian Cameron Trophy for their achievement.

Rotarian Alan Lakey said: “We distribute poppies to all schools in the town, as well as golf clubs, the bowls club and in Asda.

“After Remembrance Day we then collect all the contributions and present a Rotary-sponsored cup to the primary school that raised the most.

“It is the fourth time the school has received the trophy.

“When we went to the school for the presentation there were between 200 to 300 children in the hall and you could hear a pin drop.”

In total, Hartlepool Rotary Club’s efforts saw £13,752 collected towards the town’s overall total.

That included £4,713 from a week-long collection in Asda supermarket on Marina Way.

Hartlepool’s Poppy Appeal is co-ordinated by Sian Cameron, who took on the role from her father Ian after he died.

Throston Primary School headteacher Mark Atkinson said: “We are very proud to have won it for a fourth year.

“It is something we push each year, and the total amount keeps going up each year.”

Pupils from the school laid small crosses with poppies during last year’s bombardment service on the Headland.