BIG-HEARTED members of the public donated £22,750 to Quarry Bank’s annual poppy appeal.

Members of Quarry Bank Royal British Legion coined in the cash during the run-up to Remembrance Sunday (November 11).

The total is down on last year's figure of £29,030 but branch events organiser Gloria Donovan has thanked those who dug deep to support the cause which gives a helping hand to Britain’s armed forces heroes and ex-servicemen and women.

She said: "People are losing their jobs and shops are closing and there are so many charities but people are always generous with the poppy appeal."

Dedicated volunteers for the Quarry Bank Legion manned stands at Asda and Sainsbury's supermarkets at Merry Hill and Brierley Hill to collect the cash.

They also staged a poppy concert at Quarry Bank Labour Club on November 9 attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Dudley, councillor Melvyn Mottram and his wife Michelle, which raised £900 towards the annual Legion appeal.

Meanwhile Mount Pleasant Primary School in Quarry Bank has again won the branch's Daniel Probyn Memorial Shield in honour of their fundraising efforts for this year's appeal - while Quarry Bank Primary School has won the runner's up award. The accolades will be presented next month.