PUPILS from Sedgefield schools have been competing in a recycling competition that awards them cash prizes and tree saplings to plant in school grounds.

Ferryhill Station School, in Ferryhill, was first and won £400 in the Yellow Woods Challenge to recycle old Yellow Pages directories and learn more about the environment.

The school received the top cash prize for collecting 13.95 directories per pupil, and an additional £100 for collecting the most directories of the schools that entered.

Dean Road Nursery School, Ferryhill, won second prize of £200 for collecting 3.73 directories per pupil.

Stephenson Way Primary School, in Newton Aycliffe, collected 3.33 Yellow Pages directories per pupil and won £100.

Yellow Pages is also awarding native tree saplings to the top six schools.

For organising the recycling challenge, Butterwick Hospice will receive saplings for its grounds.

Sedgefield Borough Council will also receive saplings to plant around the borough.

All the schools that took part in the challenge will be presented with a certificate featuring Kirk - the Yellow Woods Challenge mascot.

The competition was run by Yellow Pages and the Woodland Trust in association with Sedgefield Borough Council and the Butterwick Hospice.