TEACHERS and pupils in Heaton swapped pen and paper for garden spades to celebrate Earth Day.

Children at St Thomas of Canterbury RC Primary School took part in activities for the annual event, which raises awareness of issues affecting the environment.

Instead of their normal lessons, pupils were able to redesign unwanted clothes using sequins and fabric paint, help on the school’s allotments and plant vegetables.

Pupils and teachers also helped make a “junk sculpture” in the form of an eight-foot robot made from milk bottle lids and old cereal boxes.

Each pupil at the school was asked to bring in a plant they could look after and were taught about recycling.

Claire Harvey, coleader of the event at the school with Jane Buck, said: “Earth Day is to inspire current actions. We want to show children they can re-use.

“Our school has achieved its green flag award, which all schools are encouraged to promote through teaching about the environment.”