A PRIMARY school has hit the lottery jackpot to transform its garden into a traditional English woodland.

Summerseat Methodist Primary School in Rowlands Road has received £4,020 for its nature explorers project.

Headteacher David Griffith said the money will help to fund a footpath, benches and tree planting to create a community area.

work has already begun to clear the site and school parents, as well as volunteers from the local area, are pitching in to help. Later in the year, the school will work with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV).

Mr Griffith said: “We want to create a community wildlife area which will be used by other people in the area as well as children. The children will be involved and we will have nature sessions run by BTCV later in the year. The children are going to be working with a willow artist to create a willow sculpture.”

The school had to apply for the grant which was awarded from Community Wildlife — a £2m funding programme from the Big Lottery Fund which aims to improve rural or urban environments for people to enjoy and to get people active and healthier through nature.