SCHOOLCHILDREN and residents are banding together to help turn an overgrown field at a Stockton school into a community garden.

They are working with volunteers from Stockton Arc and council officers to clear rubbish, weeds and bramble bushes at St Cuthbert's RC Primary School, in the Parkfield area of the town.

The field is used by pupils as an extension to the school playground.

The clean-up, organised by headteacher Julia Pearce and supported by Stockton Borough Council's neighbourhood management team, aims to develop and improve the site so that the school can create a sensory garden with a vegetable plot.

The landscaped area will be used by the pupils during the day for outdoor classes, and will be open to community groups after school hours and during weekends.

Mrs Pearce said: "I would like to thank everyone who is helping us in this project. It is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to work together to establish an area that will give much pleasure to the children, as well as the local community."