DESIGN students have used their artistic skills to bring some animal magic to a Darlington playground.

Ten second-year National Diploma students from Darlington College of Technology have produced a colourful mural to brighten a metal storage container for Kids & Co Nursery, in Borough Road, Darlington.

Now, instead of a blue corrugated box, the children have a jungle covered in brightly-coloured animals, including giraffes, lions and exotic birds.

Darlington College course leader Donna Slyfield said: "They have done a great job and it has been a really useful exercise for them to actually plan and complete a community project."

Student Chris Scott, 21, of Darlington, said: "It took us a full day to complete using gloss paint and we are really pleased with the result."