A NORTH Yorkshire school has called in the Army to help put an end to a long-standing problem.

The children at Wavell Infants at Catterick Garrison have always had an uninspiring view out of the windows which overlook a central quad.

The stone-flagged area was described by head teacher Sue Fletcher as similar to "a prison yard" during a governors' meeting earlier this year.

But a discussion on the way ahead went better than she was expecting.

Sergeant Major Graham Janes, who commands The Normandy Band Queens Division, offered the help of all of his 33 men for three days.

And on Wednesday, they were as good as their word, starting work on laying new paving, benches and flower beds, which the children will plant themselves.

Artist in residence at the school, Steph Ottevanger, has even been adding her own murals to brighten up the walls.

"We can't thank everyone enough.

"They've all worked really hard and, without them, it would never have happened.

"The materials alone would have cost a fortune and there's no way we would have been able to afford it," said Mrs Fletcher.

The work, which falls under the banner of the North Yorkshire education department's Learning from Landscapes initiative, was expected to finish today.