THE Salvation Army shop in Hartlepool's Middleton Grange Shopping Centre has been named best recycling store in town - thanks to the help of schoolchildren.

The Salvation Army was given the award after its members visited schools in Hartlepool, including St Helens and St Begas, as part of a project to educate students on the importance of recycling.

Pupils donated clothing which raised more than £900.

Salvation Army store manager, Wendy Glaister-Smith, said: "It is really important to educate children from a young age about the benefits of recycling."