YOUNG people in north Durham have been helping brighten up their community.

Pupils from Catchgate Primary School, near Stanley, have been planting flowers in boxes at Catchgate police section office.

Police have also been presented with planter created by Durham county councillor Thomas Nearney and PCSO Cheryl Watson.

Up to 50 tubs, which are around 3ft by 1foot, were prepared with begonias, petunias and geraniums during a Neighbourhood Watch event last month.

The event is designed to smarten up the area and enhance the feeling of community pride.

Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator Doug Carmichael, 69, of Viscount Way, Catchgate, said: “Children are today working on the planting at the section office, which has a number of tubs and the plants from last year have all died out and need replacing.

“It is something connecting the police and the primary school. It is something they do every year and is very positive.

“It follows on from the Neighbourhood Watch programme with planters we did a few weeks ago, which was very successful, and we, obviously, already have an association with the police.

“It is all about building up neighbourhood connections and the aim is to pretty up the village.”