CAMELFORD Primary School pupils will take on star status when they perform the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially launch the £400,000 new look Co-op food store in the town on Thursday.

The pupils will be presented with a donation of £200 for school funds by store manager Nick Park to mark the occasion.

"As a community retailer it is appropriate that we involve the community in our special events and we are delighted our local school is playing a central role in the relaunch of our store."

The store will feature the consumer-owned Co-operative Group's new identity, The co-operative, which aims to highlight improved service standards across its 4,200 outlets in the UK, including its travel, pharmacy, funerals and bank branches, as well as its commitment to supporting local communities and ethical trading policies.

It is being transformed with modern décor, new shelving, flooring and eco-refrigeration plus a more shopper-friendly layout.

The emphasis will be on chilled and fresh foods with a 20 per cent increase in the range. There will also be more in-store baked breads and pastries and a wider selection of chilled beers and wines. Popular services including paypoint will be retained.

As the leading supermarket supporter of Fairtrade foods, The co-operative's popular Fairtrade products will feature and the store will carry the retailer's own health and beauty range with products that are not tested on animals.

Mr Park added: "We provide a much valued service for the town and I am confident our shoppers will be delighted with our improved store and wider selection of goods which will better meet all their daily grocery needs."

The store — which has been closed during the refurbishment — will reopen at 7am today (Thursday) followed by the official ribbon cutting ceremony at 10am.