The Aberdeen Evening Express’s fundraising scheme, Children 2000, has come to another successful end after raising more than £27,000 for local groups.

Readers of the Evening Express have collected 14m tokens printed in the paper for this year’s campaign, and the 55 groups who collected the most tokens will now receive a share of the cash.

The groups, topped by Shepherd’s Nursery which collected 715,600 tokens, will now be able to finance their dream projects, from new toys and playground equipment to sports kits.

The paper plans to re-launch its fundraising campaign in January, when it hopes it will be bigger and better than ever.

In previous years the groups that collect the most tokens receive funding, but next year the paper plans to give money to every group that takes part.

Evening Express assistant editor Darren Thwaites said: “Each year we’ve tried to improve on the format, but this is going to be the best ever.

“For the first time, every single project will be a winner and every single token will be worth money to the groups involved.

“The whole idea of Children 2000 is to fund as many children’s causes as possible and this is the perfect way to achieve that.”