MORCHARD Bishop Pre-School has won a £1,500 prize after receiving most votes in a competition celebrating the importance of community spirit in the South West.

The Community South West Campaign, in association with regional insurer Cornish Mutual, highlights and encourages the fantastic community spirit that can be found within towns and villages across the region.

It includes a competition searching for four inspirational communities (one each in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset) to win £1,500 towards a community event or project.

The first round of voting saw 2,177 votes cast for 106 community projects, 21 of which were in Devon.

A shortlist of three finalists in Devon was chosen by a panel of judges consisting of Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Devon Eric Dancer, Bill Martin (Editor of The Western Morning News) and Cornish Mutual's Managing Director Alan Goddard.

The public were then asked to vote and Morchard Bishop Pre-School was the Devon winner.

The other winners were "Lost in Play" based in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, "ThisAbility" of Yeovil, Somerset and "St Mary Gillingham Scout Group HQ Project" in Dorset.

A spokesperson for Cornish Mutual, said: "Nearly 10,000 people voted in our Community South West campaign.

"Many thanks to everyone who got involved in this campaign as recognition of how deserving all the finalists' projects were we will be donating £100 to each of the runners-up."

Morchard Bishop Pre-School, a registered charity, was described as a "vital element" in the community at "serious risk" of closure without additional funds.