YOUNG volunteers showed off the fruits of their labours this week after sprucing up a school's sensory garden.

After being approached by a mother of one of its pupils, the Durham branch of the Prince's Trust volunteers agreed to restore the garden at Durham Trinity School and add extra features to improve it.

Led by team leader Melisa Stephenson, the group of ten young people aged between 16 and 25 set about raising funds through events such as bag packs and a sponsored walk up the cathedral steps to pay for the improvements.

They also approached local businesses, which donated items to raffle, such as a wooden gazebo, plants and a bike.

After raising a total of £800, some of which they used to refurbish their team room at Vane Tempest Hall, in Gilesgate, they set to work on the garden.

They painted all the wood and spray painted the metal, put in wind chimes and windmills, decorated a rocking horse, made herb boxes, planted more than 100 bushes, plum trees and other plants, hung light-reflecting mirrors and installed bird feeders.

Having completed the project, they presented the garden to the school in a ceremony.

Ms Stephenson said: "A lot of parents help at the school and they are over the moon. They kept coming out and saying how well we were doing and they are very impressed with the progress and how quickly the garden has come on."