TWELVE months ago the pupils at Leigh St Peter's were banned from entering the overgrown scrubland at their school.

Now they can use it every day - as an outdoor classroom or for leisure activities.

After a year of planning and hard work by the children, helpers and contractors the school has officially opened its "Quiet Garden".

Deputy Mayor Cllr Ernie Swift performed the ceremony when the school also received their ECO flag from the Keep Britain Tidy Group.

Guests were invited to return in the spring when the hundreds of bulbs planted by the children will be in flower.

The nature loving children of St Peter's also got together with the seniors of Westleigh High to design a St Peter's Nature Trail.

The trail team were Melissa Pimblett, Keely Jones, Laura Kettle, Sarah Graham, Ian Hide, Danny McDonough, Nick Spears and Jamie Wilkinson from St Peter's, and Mouryane Culpin, Christopher McDonough, Jennifer Bursnoll, Yvonne Gregson, Robin Cummins, William Boseley, Edward Brown, Shaun Worgan, Craig Gorvin and Deborah Holmes from Westleigh High.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.