YOUNGSTERS have been helping to shape their own community in the development of an area of open space.

Children from Cloughfold Primary, St Peter's Primary, Staghills Nursery, as well as youth and community groups in the area all took part in the initiative.

The Doorstep Green project, which has received funding to the tune of £3,500 from the New Opportunities Fund and the Countryside Commission aims to help communities develop areas of open space.

Organisers asked school and community groups to come up with ideas as to how youngsters wanted to see the land developed.

Following an influx of more than 400 entries, organisers will be taking ideas from the designs and passing them to a landscape artist to develop Cloughfold Recreation Ground.

Volunteer Christine Lomax, who has helped co-ordinate the project, said: "The response we have had has been overwhelming.

"Children have such wonderful imaginations, the things they have been coming up with has been lovely. One little girl said she wanted a shelter for grannies to knit in and another wanted an enchanted garden as just a few examples.

"It's these ideas that are important to us and which we are trying to develop. Because the ideas have come from the children the area is less likely to be vandalised because the youngsters have a vested interest in it."

Presentations will be made at Cloughfold Primary on Wednesday and St Peter's on Thursday to award prize winners.

Christine added: "We are still encouraging youngsters to come forward with any ideas they may have. We want people to know that this is a consultation exercise and we are keen to get everybody's views so we can make the most of the space we have got."

Anybody with any ideas should contact Christine 01706 217083.