STAFF at a local builders’ merchant have made an outstanding donation that will help preschool children stand out and stay safe.

Jewson Ivybridge branch has donated hi-vis fluorescent jackets along with £50 of Love to Shop vouchers to Lee Mill Preschool.

Assistant manager Vinnie Bowman explained the branch, which is in Lee Mill Industrial Estate, had a competition with branches in Plymouth and Tavistock to see which could achieve the highest sales in a set period of time.

A prize of the vouchers was at stake, and once the figures were compared Ivybridge was found to be the winner. Staff decided to donate the vouchers to a local charity or good cause, and after much pondering hit on the preschool as the perfect beneficiary.

Vinnie said: ’We thought it was a godd choice - with Christmas coming up, who better to donate to than lots of little children. As an extra gesture we thought we’d give them some mini hi-vis jackets to keep them safe when they go out and about.’

Preschool manager Sandra Barker said: ’We were absolutely thrilled, and we’re very grateful to Vinnie for being so kind. The jackets are fantastic for when we take them out, we do a lot with the forest school and take them to the village park, they’ll come in really useful.

’We’re so grateful. As a little village preschool any help like this is so gratefully received. We can’t thank Vinnie enough. It was totally out of the blue, but very much appreciated, and we’ll be sure to spend the vouchers wisely.’