PRIMARY school pupils are to become ambassadors for kerbside recycling.

Children in schools in the Durham City area will learn what items they can and cannot put into kerbside collection boxes.

A team from Waste SMART, at Durham County Council, will run a competition encouraging them to draw a picture or write a short story about recycling.

The winner will receive £200 for their school and £20 in vouchers for themselves, the second prize will be £10-worth of vouchers with four runners up receiving £5.

Claire Charles, programme co-ordinator, said: "The campaign was piloted in east Durham schools where we had a great success with 27 of the 32 schools taking part.

"We're trying to motivate children so that they want to take part in recycling at home as well as showing them the benefits and the reasons behind recycling."