WAT-ER nice idea!

Schoolchildren in Astley Bridge and Sharples are so grateful to firefighters working day and night to tackle the Winter Hill, they have found a creative way to say thank you.

They have designed banners to hang in the area with the creative youngsters at High Lawn Primary School in Sharples, being among the first to unveil their eye-catching posters.

They are hung on the Belmont Road side of the school, where firefighters can see them as they travel to and from the moorland fire.

Headteacher Dave Lane said: "This is a great opportunity and lovely way to say thank you to the firefighters as they go up and down Belmont Road.

“The banners children have created have been fantastic, they are great.”

Banners designed by other schools should be in place on Monday.

Cllr Hilary Fairclough said: "We have some excellent piece of art which shows the fantastic talent of the young people involved.

Few of us have experienced anything so massive and all-consuming as the fires on Winter hill. "Obviously Astley Bridge is quite close to the scene and many of the children will have seen the glow of the fire and seen and smelt the thick smoke in the past few days , the fire service have worked magnificently and the schools and their children were only to please to take part in the very public thank you.

"We will be inviting the fire service to view the pictures one things have settled down we will be asking the schools if they wish to donate the art work to the local fire stations."