PUPILS at Thomas Willingale School have taken part in a new scheme run by Epping Forest Countrycare, designed to raise awareness of the local environment.

Year 3 pupils at the Loughton school were given the chance to work with an artist to create a living sculpture for the school grounds.

The project was funded with grant money Countrycare received from English Nature as part of its Wild Space Programme.

The sculpture was designed by pupils and then created in the school grounds by artist Will Glanfield.

Head teacher Marion Smith said: "The children were really pleased the sculpture was made at the school. They got to help out with the carving after making the designs themselves".

The oak sculpture is an upright, wavy piece of wood, with a bowl shape on top to attract birds.

Mrs Smith said: "It's carved with ladybirds and spiders, things that would live in the tree. We've planted four fruit trees around it that eventually will form a bower around the sculpture."