YOUNGSTERS from a Ramsbottom primary school have been rewarded for completing their green mission to collect old Yellow Pages books and turn them into cash.

Pupils at Summerseat Primary School did so well in their mission that they scooped £200 for winning second place in the borough-wide search for the school that collects the most directories.

For the last eight weeks, 48 local schools have been competing in the Yellow Woods Challenge, which encourages schoolchildren to collect old Yellow Pages. Local schools have collected 8,535 old directories for recycling into cardboard by Activecraft.

The challenge was officially launched in October by children from Sunnybank Primary School in Unsworth, Bury, Coun Stella Smith, Bury Council's executive member for environment and transport and Adam Billiard from the Directory Recycling Scheme.

Children from participating schools joined join Kirk, the Yellow Woods Challenge mascot, alongside pupils at the winning school, Guardian Angels' Primary, Bury, for the presentation day.

Guardian Angels received a £300 prize for collecting 2.54 directories per pupil.

Summerseat Methodist Primary School, collected 2.19 directories per pupil and Old Hall Primary School, Bury, came third, collecting 1.88 Yellow Pages per pupil -- winning them £100.

All participating schools were given free environmental educational materials which, along with a model of the campaign's fun mascot, Kirk.

All schools that participated in the Bury Challenge received a certificate featuring Kirk and will be entered into the Yellow Woods Challenge UK Finals in October 2004 where three schools can win a top cash prizes of up to £2,000.