A PRIMARY school where three children have lost a father in Afghanistan is hoping to win a contest that will help them create a peaceful outdoor memory garden.

About 65 per cent of children from Le Cateau Community Primary School, Catterick Garrison, have family serving in foreign conflict zones.

A three-year-old child, who is in the foundation stage year at the school, lost his dad when he was killed in action in Afghanistan last year. While a brother and sister at the school have lost their father while he was also serving in Afghanistan.

The school has plans to make a memory garden for parents and children to use. It is also hoping to win £30,000 of outdoor play equipment to make its outdoor area really special.

Sandra Kirby, foundation stage leader at the school, said: “It would be a memory garden for everyone but particularly for those young children who have either one parent or both parents out there. With everything going on out there they really need a nice quiet, secure place to be.

“You have to think what’s happening with these children emotionally. They live surrounded by the sound of gunshot from training outside.

“The other day there was a huge loud noise and it was a helicopter landing in the field. These children have to put up with this kind of thing all the time.”

The school is one of six in the UK to reach the finals, beating off competition from more than 1,200 other entrants to get there.

The winner will be decided by which school wins the most votes on a special Facebook page.

Headteacher Grahame (correct) Shepherd said: “The most important thing for us as a school is to support the children. Our playground does need an uplift and update and so this would be one way of doing that.”

The Playground Project was launched by playground equipment specialists Timberline in response to schools struggling to update their outdoor play equipment in light of budget cuts.

To win the final prize, the school needs to collect the most votes on Facebook.

Anyone wishing to vote must visit the Facebook page of the sponsors, Ronseal UK, ‘like’ that page and then ‘like’ the picture of the playground you most want to receive a make-over before July 16.