WARRINGTON students who qualified for a new payment scheme for staying on in post-16 education are to receive a £100 cash bonus.

Those that qualified for the weekly Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) receive the money after returning to college in the second year.

It is one of a series of payments they could be in line for.

Liz Davis, executive director of the Learning and Skills Council Cheshire and Warrington, says the extra incentive to continue with courses will have a big impact.

She said: "With this extra cash young people, who might have been tempted to drop out of their courses into low paid jobs, have been given a huge incentive to stay on." Call the free EMA help-line on 080 810 16219 or log on to www.ema.dfes.gov.uk