The last school in Kent to use dial-up internet is about to embrace superfast technology.

Stansted Church of England primary school in Malthouse Road, Stansted, will be using broadband to connect to the world wide web after the parish was given a grant to help speed up slow online services.

Head teacher Lyn Matthews was told the parish had been successful in its bid by the Messenger on Friday afternoon, when the winners were revealed.

She said: "The award will benefit both the school and parish community. Our school internet, the only one in Kent, is still maintained through an ADSL line.

"The improved broadband connection can only improve the quality of teaching and learning in our school for all pupils."

The village was one of five parish councils to receive funding from Kent County Council as part of the Superfast Rural Broadband scheme.

A cash boost of £100,000 is now on its way to parish councillors who stressed the village was in urgent need of quicker internet speeds.

Cllr Harry Bott , chairman of Stansted parish council, said the school, villagers and local businesses would benefit from the grant

He said: "We are chuffed to bits. If we don't have broadband there is a real possibility the community could die, so we really needed this.

"We have over 160 people in the village who work at home at least once a week and most of our electorate came out in support of this.

"We now have to go away and identify how we use the money."

Kevin Lynes, the cabinet member for regeneration and economic development said: "We hear many stories from businesses and households about how poor broadband affects their lives or their business.

"They deserve good connectivity and speeds so they can deliver services to their customers, make online transactions or for education and leisure activities."

Other successful bidders were Godmersham and Crundale parish council in Ashford, Goudhurst parish council, Lympne and Stanford Partnership in Shepway and Lydd-on-Sea, Greatstone and Dungeness also in Shepway.