ART students who have just sat their exams returned to school for a day to help younger pupils create murals.

The GCSE pupils from Greencroft School, Annfield Plain, near Stanley, helped 120 children from the primary schools of Annfield Plain, Burnhope, Lanchester and Dipton to design wall plaques.

Some groups created images of castles including pink fairytale castles and dark colour haunted castles.

Other year six pupils made landscapes including potato printed flowers, a papier mch hot-air balloon, cotton wool sheep, and wire insects.

Karen Surtees, head of art who supervised the project, said: "The exercise was for pupils to understand how colour is important in art and life and how it can have a huge impact on the way things look.

"It was also for the pupils to work in groups, and understanding how important it is to be part of a team, and obviously have fun."

"All the pupils on both days were fabulous and did their school proud."