WILDPLAY: Youngsters are making the most of the school holidays as they get back to nature.

Children, including seven-year-old Heather Meldrum, from Trent Vale, pictured, visited Hartshill Park local nature reserve yesterday as part of a Staffordshire Wildlife Trust scheme aiming to encourage children to get out and about.

The free 'Wildplay' sessions take place across the city this week.

Activities

include building dens, designing banners and canvas bags,

team games and scavenger hunts.

Today's sessions are from 10am until 12pm at Mount Pleasant, in Fenton, and at Longton's Queen's Park from 2pm until 4pm. Tomorrow activities are at Burslem Park from 10am until 12pm and Priors Field, at Sandford Hill, from 2pm until 4pm.

Wildplay project officer Jenna Holford said: "The sessions are a great way to ignite your child's interest in the natural world and the great outdoors."

Picture: Mark Scott