HUNDREDS of Easter eggs were given to pupils at Lethbridge Primary School yesterday for their annual egg hunt.

On the sunny last day of term, children searched for tokens around the school which they could trade in for one of 692 chocolate eggs.

The hunt began at midday and just half an hour later every egg had been collected, with a crowd of happy youngsters wandering out of the school gates clutching their prizes.

Deputy head teacher Caron Short said she was delighted with how the day had gone.

She said: “It’s been absolutely fantastic and it’s great to end the term on a high.

“We started this a few years ago, it’s a bit of fun to get everyone involved and it’s lovely to see parents and children doing something that’s really celebratory before they all go off for the holidays.

“It’s a beautiful day for an egg hunt.”

It cost £1.50 for a ticket to enter the egg hunt which allowed any primary, secondary or pre-school child from Swindon join the search.

Almost 700 tokens were hidden away around the play areas outside the school for them to find and each token was assigned to a prize, which could be a bag or hamper of chocolate goodies or one of various different-sized Easter eggs.

Many of the eggs were donated by Morrisons supermarket and the rest were bought by teachers.

Community officer for Lethbridge Primary School Tracey Owen organised the event.

She said: “Once it gets going, it gets manic, everybody enjoys it.

“The children were so excited, it’s all they talked about at break time, they were really looking forward to it.”

Jude Morris was one of the many mums who were waiting eagerly for the event to begin.

She said: “I’ve got two children at the school. Lily’s in Year 3 and Poppy’s in Year 5, they’ve been counting down the days,

“It’s a brilliant thing that the school does for the children.”

Mum-of-four Dawn Colucci agreed: “The kids really enjoy it, they love getting their chocolate. I’ve got two pres-choolers, Mason and Ella, and two at Lethbridge, Jaden and Finley.”

The money from the ticket sales will go towards paying for the eggs with any leftover cash going straight back into the school.

Miss Owen added: “It’s about the event and the children more than the money, but it all gets used, with budgets as tight as they are now.”