SCOUTS and skateboarders have been given thousands of pounds by Tesco.

The supermarket's Bicester branch has been dishing out dosh raised by selling plastic bags.

Shoppers voted for which groups they wanted to get the cash and the top winners were the 1st Bicester Intrepid Scout group.

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The 100 Beavers, Cubs and Sea Scouts have now been handed £4,000 to spend on revamping the outdoor area at their Scout hut on Ashdene Road.

Group leaders said they wanted to create a 'safe, fun and encouraging environment for our local Scouts to enjoy and develop'.

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The project is set to be the biggest since the group completely refurbished their Scout hut building in 2014 using a £15,000 grant from the charity arm of DHL which has a base nearby in the town.

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The second group to get a windfall from the Tesco Bags of Help scheme was Brill Church of England Primary School in the village eight miles south of Bicester, which got £2,000.

Teachers there will be able to use the donation for essential school supplies.

The third and final group to get a share of the cash was Marsh Gibbon Parish Council, 10 minutes east of Bicester, which was handed £1,000 towards its Ramp project, running weekly skateboarding, scooter and BMX sessions for local teenagers.

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The latest three grants from Tesco Bicester bring the total it has handed out in the Bags of Help scheme to £120,491, awarded to 51 local projects, all voted for by customers in store.

New voting opens every two months and the latest round of grants were voted for in May and June.

Customers choose which project they would like to get the top award using a token given to them at the checkout.

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The scheme is co-ordinated by environmental charity Groundwork, which helps administrate the grant giving.

Chief executive Graham Duxbury said: “Bags of Help continues to enable local communities up and down Britain to improve the local spaces and places that matter to them.

"The diversity of projects that are being funded shows that local communities have a passion to create something great in their area.

"We are pleased to be able to be a part of the journey and provide support and encouragement to help local communities thrive.”