Pupils catch insect bug in garden

YOUNGSTERS who have worked to encourage wildlife to their school now want to attract insects that are as big as they are.

Youngsters at Friarswood Primary School in Newcastle want to work with artist Gavin Darby to create bug sculptures from recycled materials.

They plan to use the work of the Nottingham-based artist to decorate the school's environmental garden.

Gavin mostly works in steel and wood to create sculptures of dogs, birds, flowers and even a metal dragon.

And the 20 members of the school's Eco Warriors club, which holds two lunchtime sessions a week, want him to put his environmentally-friendly sculptures around the nature garden they care for at the school's site in Abbots Way.

Pupil Libby Dean, aged nine, from Westlands, said: "At Eco Warriors we help to improve the environmental area and care for the environment. This project is going to make people interested because most of them just walk past the environmental garden."

Caitlin Steel, aged 11, also from Westlands, said: "We like doing projects to help make the environmental area nice.

"Our last project was making a bamboo hut and we're going to watch the wildlife from it. I think the artist will be good, and because he'll be recycling objects instead of getting new stuff, we will be eco-friendly."

The school is now entering The Sentinel and Barclays' Class Act competition in the hope of winning one of the £5,000 prizes.

Pupil Gabrielle Rouffet, aged 10, from Westlands, said: "It would be a really good idea because we don't introduce art enough, so it would be really good if everyone had an experience like this.

"People who don't enjoy art so much might be encouraged to do it more by this. Gavin makes really cool sculptures out of recycled materials."

David Loo, aged nine, of Westlands, added: "I think it's a good idea because lots of schools wouldn't bother to ask an artist to come in and work with children because they'd think it was a waste of money. But this will be eco-friendly and make the school look much nicer."

Teacher Stacey Goldstraw-Davis said: "They've worked very hard to come up with an idea and make sure everyone has a say.

"They went out on the playground and consulted everyone, pitched the ideas in a 'Dragons' Den' style, and then everyone voted."