BIRTHDAY boys Jamie Wardel, Kieren Stagg and Haydn Amor had a pleasant surprise when they were invited to launch the new-look Co-op in Pewsey.

Haydn, seven, Kieren, nine, and Jamie, 11, from Pewsey Primary School, all celebrated their birthdays last week and were invited to help store manager Ian Davies cut the ribbon on Thursday at the new look store after its £750,000 revamp.

Mr Davies responded by handing a £250 cheque to the boys and their headteacher Tim Coles for the school.

Changes at the store include more tills, a news and cigarettes kiosk, better provision for disabled shoppers, a restyled coffee shop and a passport photo booth. The whole 8,200 square foot shop floor has also been revamped.

Extra staff have also been taken on, providing a total of 45 jobs.

One 85-year-old customer, Max Blackman, from Pewsey, said: "It's much nicer in here now Pewsey should be proud of it."

The school will be using the cash to buy a microscope and monitoring equipment for its mobile IT suite.