CHILDREN were brim-full of ideas during an Easter bonnet contest, creating everything from Ascot-style creations to top hats with rabbit ears.

Pupils from St Joseph's RC Primary School, in Gilesgate, Durham, and Laurel Avenue Community Primary School, on the nearby Sherburn Road Estate, made hats for an Easter bonnet competition.

The contest was organised by Three Rivers Housing Group, which gave both schools a budget to spend on materials for the project. On Wednesday the results were revealed. A team of judges visited the two schools and picked a winner from each year.

They also picked an overall winner from each school.

Reception-class pupil Sophie Lee, from St Joseph's, impressed the judges with her colourful orange and yellow creation, while Anne-Marie Swainston's top hat shaped like a tree with a bird's nest in the top, was selected as the overall winner from Laurel Avenue. One of the judges, chairwoman of the Three Rivers Housing Group, Clare Hepworth said: "It's the enthusiasm, the vigour, the creativity and the real hard work that has gone into the construction of these hats that has impressed us, and the way in which it has been a whole school effort from both schools.

"It was very, very difficult for the judges to make decisions.

"At the end of the day, the entries were just of such superb quality."