PROUD of their new play park, schoolchildren in Mickley are doing their bit to keep it spick and span.

New play equipment was installed at Mickley’s Riding Dene play park in April this year.

And determined to preserve their new play area, pupils from Mickley First School have designed posters to deter littering and dog fouling.

Headteacher Andy Hudson said: “We’ve been doing some work in school about looking after where we live.

“I think we have a role as a school to raise awareness and make people think about things happening in the community.”

Pupils at the first school won £10,000 funding for new play equipment earlier in the year from Tesco’s Bags of Help initiative.

Though furnished with a football pitch, basketball hoop and equipment for small children, there wasn’t much on offer for older children.

So, working in partnership with local county councillor Anne Dale, the school developed the Mickley Play Area scheme.

The new play area is now furnished with a gondola rope-end swing and zip wire.