A PRIMARY school has taken top spot in a competition run by Tesco.

Brinkley Grove Primary School, in Rawlings Crescent, Colchester, has been given £12,000 from the supermarket giant's Bags of Help scheme.

The money will be used to transform land at the front of the school into a nature area which will include raised flower beds, a squirrel obstacle course and polythene tunnels to grow edible produce.

School bosses also hope to house chickens and guinea pigs.

The animals and the nature area will be looked after by pupils.

The school took top spot against Colchester and Tendring Youth Enquiry Service - Go Green Project, which was allocated £10,000, and the Mercury Theatre, which was handed £8,000.

Shoppers across Colchester were asked to opt for one of the organisations by inserting a token into boxes into when leaving the borough's Tesco supermarkets between October 31 and November 13.

Jessica Walker, Tesco Local Communications Manager, said: "Bags of Help has been a fantastic success.

"We have been overwhelmed by the response of our customers and it’s been great to give people a say on how the money will be spent in their community.

"We can’t wait to see the money being used to bring these projects to life."