A DARLINGTON school has received international recognition for its work on environmental causes.

Polam Hall Junior School at Grange Road has won a bronze certificate from the global Eco-Schools programme, designed to help schools analyse their day-to-day operations and adapt them to become more sustainable.

Pupils had to prove they had a genuine desire to become responsible citizens and were prepared to do all they could for the future of the environment.

A school-wide action plan was designed by pupils to improve the school's environmental impact.

The school ran a competition to design a rubbish bin to deter littering, won by pupils Katie Atkins and Hannah Bairstow.

Headteacher Angela Foster said: "Our pupils are displaying an extraordinary level of consideration for how their actions can impact upon the environment."