THERE'S road tax in the window and the new paint job looks immaculate - but the Daily Echo minibus has no owner.

All that is set to change this week however, as D-Day approaches for the scores of schools that have spent endless hours collecting tokens in the Echo's biggest-ever giveaway.

Pupils and teachers alike are keeping their fingers crossed in the hope that they will be holding those all-important keys by the end of the week.

Staff at Nursling Primary School in Southampton remained coy, but privately admitted they are hopeful after a "fantastic" campaign.

Deputy head Jo Foster even had the burden of counting up the entries lifted after a band of calculator-happy parents turned up at the school to help collate all the entries.

"They were brilliant," said Jo. "They just turned up at the school, collected a load of booklets and took them home to count them up for us!

"It's been a fantastic response all round and the children have done so well. We know we are a relatively small school - we only have around 200 pupils - but they did a great job of collecting tokens.

"We also had a helping hand from our local pub, where staff agreed to put a collection box at the bar, so we are quietly optimistic about winning.

"But even if we don't, it's been a tremendous effort from everyone. For such a small school the children and parents did fantastically."

The competition, in which we are giving away a brand new Ford Transit minibus, is the biggest that has ever run at the Echo.

The prize is ideal for the community, giving an extra lifeline to teachers and pupils who want to make the most of their curriculum.

More than 100 schools entered the giveaway, and thousands of tokens have been printed during the three months the competition has been running.

A winner for the minibus will be announced on Thursday.