A COUPLE who led the way in a £38,000 high-speed fundraising campaign have won a dream wedding.

Soldier Matthew Hulbert, 31, and his fiancee Kendra Blackett, 23, won TFM radio station’s Five Brides One Wedding competition by raising the most money in a week for children’s charity Cash for Kids.

They were one of five couples who were chosen for the cash challenge from more than 600 applicants.

Mr Hulbert, a sergeant in the Royal Signals, and Miss Blackett, who works as a personal trainer, collected £13,780, winning themselves a £25,000 wedding package including a reception at Crathorne Hall Hotel, near Yarm, Stockton.

They began by packing bags for supermarket customers around their home in Spennymoor, County Durham, going on to organise tombolas, raffles, a football tournament and a bonus ball competition, and collecting charity cash from pubs around the North-East Mr Hulbert said: “It was great fun and we can’t believe the support we have had from our family, friends, work colleagues and members of the public.

“It’s been hard work but worth every minute.”

The couple are hoping to marry later in the summer.

Runners-up Katie Johns and Will Marley raised £8,196 and surprised listeners when they got engaged on air.

Cash for Kids raises funds to improve the lives of children from birth to 17 years across the Tees Valley, North Yorkshire and the south of County Durham. The competition was sponsored by Jennings of Stockton.