RUNCORN pupils are brightening up their community.

Children from Palacefields Primary Academy have planted around 1,000 English bluebells and snowdrops.

They teamed up with social landlord Riverside to mount a planting day as part of a project to encourage residents to love where they live.

The housing association won a Keep Britain Tidy gold award earlier this year for the Palacefields area.

Laura Woodward, communal areas officer for Riverside, said: “Planting is a great way for children to get hands-on experience of the natural world and learn more about the wildlife inhabiting the woods.

“We’ve done a lot of work to make the woodland more accessible, creating pathways, providing bins, wildflower areas and public art in the form of wooden sculptures.

“Much of this work has involved school children.”

Youngsters are now looking forward to seeing the fruits of their labour when the flowers blossom in the spring.