CHILDREN at a primary school are cultivating green fingers with a little help from a technology company.

Broomfield Primary School, in Northallerton, received a £400 donation to buy tools, seeds and fruit trees for its green club, which has 16 members and meets once a week.

The donation came from diversified technology company 3M, which has a base in the market town.

Ten volunteers from 3M put their backs into an afternoon's labouring to prepare the ground for the children to get planting.

Teacher Dave Simpson, who runs the club for pupils aged between seven and nine, said it was hoped to increase the children's awareness of the environment and learn where their food comes from.

He said: "It is going to be an organic food garden, so the children can actually get to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

"They are very enthusiastic and the support from 3M has been a great encouragement for them."

3M, which makes high performance protective coatings at its Standard Way site, runs a volunteer programme that gives all employees the opportunity to carry out community work on company time.

The site's environmental health and safety engineer, Tony Everett, organised the volunteer working party for the school.

He said: "It is a great idea for the children to have their own garden to look after and we were very pleased to be able to help."