ELECTION fever gripped primary schoolchildren who went to the polls this week to elect a new member of the school council.

Four candidates contested the election at Kelloe Primary School, near Durham City, which has been designed to be as realistic as possible to help pupils learn about citizenship.

Deputy head teacher Paula Ford has been working with the children for the last term and the candidates wrote manifestos, put up posters, addressed the hustings and argued their case.

The ballot papers were printed and the 109 votes cast on Tuesday, after a final address to persuade undecided voters. An independent member of the school's governing body ensured fair play.

The winner was Philip Jones who stood for the Green Garden Party, which promised a new pond and environmental improvements.

Sammy Midgley represented the Rainbow Arts Party, which campaigned to spruce up the school buildings with a fresh lick of paint; Amy Venner stood for the Yellow Youth Party, which aimed to bring basketball and more sporting activities to the school, and Jonathan Granaghan for the Kelloe Blue Party, which hoped to start a football team and reopen the school swimming pool.

Head teacher Carol Musztacs congratulated all of the candidates . She said: "It has been a lot of fun, but they have really gone into it seriously, they have gone into the costings of their policies and have been fielding questions in the hall just like the real thing - they are all politicians in the making."