COMPETITION was fierce in an Easter colouring contest organised by Connelly’s Toyshop, in Barnard Castle, with lots of entries, despite the coronavirus lockdown.
Choosing just one winner was too difficult for owner Pauline Connelly, who said the standard was excellent and so in the end she opted to have two overall winners and two runners-up.
Winners were Harriet Edwards, 8, and Frazer Haynes, 3, who will receive a £10 Orchard game. Runners up Isobel Kenshole, 6, and Archie Connor, 5, will receive smaller prizes. Ms Connelly said: “It was lovely because we’ve had entries posted through the letter box and lots of entries from further up the dale, so they’ve been posting their pictures on our social media page.”
Since the lockdown Ms Connelly has been posting videos on her social media page updating residents on her latest stock purchases, then making deliveries up and down the dale.
“I took a run up the dale delivering last week and I was leaving parcels on gateposts and it was lovely to see the kids running down to get their orders. My videos are continuing – I only did the first one as a bit of a joke.”
Further up the dale Middleton Care Ltd, based in Bridge Street, Middleton-in-Teesdale, also ran an Easter art competition, sponsored by Connelly’s.
Louise Metcalfe, from Middleton Care, said: “We have ten happy children up here. To be honest we [staff] wanted something to brighten our spirits and we thought what better way than to get the children with their pens and crayons doing an art competition.”
The entries will be displayed in their Bridge Street-base windows until the pandemic is over. The winners of the competition received a game donated by Connelly’s, though all entrants received a little chocolate treat.
The winner was Ebony Reid, with Charlotte Nixon in second place and Annabelle Toulson in third place.
