GREEN-fingered children have been left with a recycling quandary after the frame designed to create a greenhouse made up of 600 plastic bottles was stolen.

Pupils from Grangetown Primary School cried when they discovered they would not be able to build their eco-friendly greenhouse built with empty containers instead of glass.

The school near Redcar had been working with Tees Valley Wildlife Trust Local Food Lottery funded project “Growing food for the future”.

The greenhouse frame, which had been specially made by the Shaw Trust community enterprise in Stockton was stolen only a month after it had been delivered to the school.

Steve Ashton, of the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, said: “We are building five of these greenhouses at schools in the Tees Valley. They work really well, with pupils involved in collecting bottles and then attaching them to the frame.

“Pupils were so disappointed, we had planned to get the greenhouse finished ready for planting chillies and tomatoes after Easter. The pupils are now left with 600 bottles on their hands and nowhere to grow their plants”.

Charlotte Mott, a teacher at Grangetown Primary School, added: “We have asked the pupils and the local community for any information about the whereabouts of the frame but nothing has been forthcoming. The pupils were looking forward in getting involved in building the greenhouse and several of the younger pupils were in tears when they knew it had been stolen."

Anyone with information can contact the school on 01642-455278 or Cleveland Police on the non-emergency 101 number.