A SCHOOL helped to celebrate the 20th birthday of its local swimming pool yesterday.

Pupils from King Street Primary School created a colourful birthday banner to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of Spennymoor Leisure Centre's pool.

To mark the occasion, discount swimming sessions were on offer during the week and the leisure centre held a junior pool party last night.

Sedgefield Borough Council's arts development section funded the project to create a commemorative banner and local artist Andrea Simpson led the project with a workshop in the school earlier this month. Headteacher Dorothy Smith said: "It certainly captured their imagination about the leisure pool and the other activities that they can take part in at Spennymoor Leisure Centre.

"It was a great day and the children were thrilled to be given the opportunity by Sedgefield Borough Council to take part in the workshop."

Sedgefield Borough Council's Mayor Marie Predki and John Robinson, cabinet member for culture and recreation, thanked the children for their efforts and centre manager Paul Bewley accepted the birthday banner yesterday.

The banner is not the only art which will brighten up the town.

Next month, artists from Europe will display their work in buildings in the town centre, as part of a festive lights display -a project which will be led by Arts UK and the borough council.