Pupils bring garden to life

The make-believe birds and flora were formed out of MDF by pupils of Downview Primary School and their parents.

It took the 23 adults and 23 children two Saturday mornings to complete the garden scene with a difference. A scarecrow and a snail helped to complete the image.

Year three teaching leader Lisa Jackson, the school's art co-ordinator, said: "The children designed the flowers and animals and marked them out on the board with chalk. Three or four of the dads got to work with jigsaws and cut them out.

"The children then completed their work by painting the creations in gloss."

The project was designed to bring families and parents together as part of a county initiative.

It proved specially popular with dads who can be unable to attend school events because of work commitments.

The artwork was placed on a previously empty piece of the school's grounds before the garden was formally opened at a ceremony before all the school.