FORMER primary school students have been rewarded for spending their holiday time helping others.

The four youngsters from Bedale Primary School took part in the Lifestyle Challenge, run by North Yorkshire police which asks youngsters aged ten to 18 to spend part of the summer holidays helping the community.

The pupils set up Community Helpers after a talk in the school and during the holidays worked alongside litter pickers, collected food to donate to a foodbank, set up a Bug Hotel, donated clothes and toys to a charity shop and took part in a sponsored walk.

Concerned about the amount of litter they picked up the girls highlighted the issue with posters urging people to put litter in bins.

They attended a special rewards night at York Racecourse for youngsters involved in Lifestyle Challenge and were given vouchers for Energi Trampoline.

Sgt Neil Northend who helped run the challenge said: "The commitment, enthusiasm and work undertaken by these young team members is truly inspirational. These projects benefit not only young people, by giving them an activity to get involved with, but also our communities.