CHILDREN at a North-East school are the envy of the world after pioneering technology was used to cover their playground with playtime images.

A pirate galleon, a treasure island and a jungle packed with wildlife are some of the digital images in the playground at Barnard Castle Preparatory School, County Durham.

The designs, used in learning and play, have been created using material similar to white lines on roads, patented by North Yorkshire business, Topmarks for Playgrounds.

The school has become the company's first customer thanks to parent Phillipa Pacey, a director of Topmarks for Playgrounds, whose son, James, is a pupil.

More than 26,000 letters have been sent to other schools - and the company said orders were already coming in from all over the country.

The company, in Richmond, can produce any digital image on the material, which is hard wearing, graffiti-proof and anti-slip.

Images can also be transferred to rubber mats for use indoors.

"We felt it would be nice to give the school the option to launch the concept," said Mrs Pacey.

"There's nothing like it anywhere in the world and we have had tremendous feedback from the school - they are just as excited as we are."

Children from the school worked with graphic design students from Teesside University to produce an array of colourful images.

The pirate theme continues with a Croc-scotch stepping-stones to reach a jungle-infested Treasure Island.

Instead of the new-look playground bring launched by a celebrity, the school ran a charity draw, which was won by Daniel Gilligan, of Leyburn, who unfurled the Jolly Roger.