We are off to the Dome! Delighted youngsters at Acomb Primary School, York, have ben celebrating after being told their school had won the Evening Press's super Millennium Dome competition.

Norma Machell, of Scarcroft School, draws the winning entry helped by Amanda Wright, of McArthurGlen

And news of the prize came in the same week that the school's Millennium committee rejected a trip to the Dome - because it would have been too expensive.

A party of up to 48 pupils and teachers will now be going off to the Dome courtesy of Fulford designer outlet McArthurGlen, who sponsored our competition.

The prize includes free coach travel, free entry into the Dome and overnight accommodation in London.

Acomb Primary was nominated by Kate Houghton, who won our competition when her entry was drawn by York's very own national Primary Teacher of the Year, Norma Machell, deputy head at Scarcroft Primary School.

McArthurGlen came up with the fantastic prize after reading in the Evening Press about local schools' problems over trips to the Millennium attraction.

Many schools in Yorkshire have difficulties in affording transport for trips to Greenwich and even then, the distance involved is thought to be too much for schoolchildren in a single day.

Acomb Primary head teacher Howard Robinson was ecstatic when told his school had won.

"Fantastic," he said. "The kids will be really thrilled. It's so strange that only this week we decided we could not afford a school trip to the Dome."

Kate Houghton, of Hillcrest Avenue, Nether Poppleton, nominated Acomb Primary in her winning entry because two of her grandchildren, Thomas and Sam Hutchinson, attend the school.

"I can't believe my entry has been picked out - and that I answered all the questions right," said Kate.

Amanda Wright, McArthurGlen's marketing manager, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer this trip. We want to be involved with the local community and it is nice when we can put something back into it."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.