YOUNGSTERS at a Spennymoor nursery school have won £300 to help improve their environment, after collecting the most Yellow Pages directories per pupil in a recycling initiative.

The Yellow Woods Challenge, run by Yellow Pages, The Directory Recycling Scheme and the Woodland Trust, offered local schools cash prizes in return for recycling old directories.

Working with Sedgefield Borough Council, the challenge aimed to educate children about the importance of recycling and conservation, reduce the amount of paper going to landfill and to support the Woodland Trust's work.

Tudhoe Moor Nursery School came first, collecting 1,506 old directories - the equivalent of 25 per pupil - and will receives the £300 cash prize from Yellow Pages to spend on improving the school's environment.

Ferryhill Station Primary School came second, collecting more than seven directories per pupil and winning £200.

Stephenson Way Primary School, Newton Aycliffe, came third, collecting nearly two Yellow Pages per pupil, and winning £100.

In total, 15 schools and 3,754 pupils across Sedgefield borough took on the Yellow Woods Challenge, collecting 4,006 old Yellow Pages in 12 weeks.

These will be recycled by Foreman's Recycling, Spennymoor.

As well as collecting directories, six schools took part in a Yellow Pages sculpture competition. Stephenson Way Primary School came first.

As winners, pupils from the school took part in creating a photo-montage, which will be displayed at County Hall, Durham City, for a week from April 7.

Oliver Priestley-Leach, waste management officer with Sedgefield Borough Council, said: "I wish our local schools all the best of luck in the UK Finals in September."