A SCHOOL in Clitheroe is looking towards the new millennium with a project to brighten up its grounds.

St James' CE Primary in Greenacre Street started work on the improvement project in 1994.

The first phase of the scheme - The Greening of Greenacre Street - was started in 1994 and completed last year. It involved planting trees, shrubs, bulbs and hedging, creating a butterfly and herb garden and making bird boxes and tables.

The second phase - Towards the Millennium - has just been started and will involve further development of the school grounds and the creation of a wildlife area on an area of derelict land.

Christine Taylor, the school's environmental and business links co-ordinator, said: "The value of this project in terms of environmental education and community investment is tremendous.

"The school grounds are much greener and there is an increase in wildlife. The children have gained an awareness of caring for the environment and enhancing it. The school frontage, now tree-lined, gives pleasure to the many people using Greenacre Street."

The school has entered the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's Grimewatch awards, which reward all kinds of green projects.

The competition, run in conjunction with British Aerospace, Tidy Britain Group, Groundwork and the Environment Agency, will be judged next week and winners announced in March.

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