YOUNG pavement artists let their imaginations run riot as they set out on the path for national acclaim at the weekend.

Durham Wildlife Trust gave young visitors to its Rainton Meadows nature reserve, near Houghton-le-Spring, licence to draw on provided paving pitches.

Everyone taking part was supplied with chalks and invited to create designs on an environmental theme.

The brief was to draw woodland scenes or the plants and animals which live there.

Visitors aged four to 18 were invited to take part, paying £1 for their pitch, with prizes for the best creations.

Coloured photographs were taken of all the first prize-winning drawings, which will go forward to next month's second stage of the national competition on June 18, culminating at the Tate Britain Gallery the following month.

Members of the Royal Academy of Arts will be invited to select the pick of the pavement drawings, which will be judged at Tate Britain on July 9.

Television personality Esther Rantzen will present the national Young Pavement Artist of the Year with £200 and a trophy, with £100 and an inscribed plate for each runner-up.

Proceeds from the competition entry charge for the event at Rainton Meadows at the weekend will be split between Durham Wildlife Trust and a charity assisting children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Durham Wildlife Trust, which has its headquarters at the Rainton Meadows reserve, takes action to protect the wildlife of County Durham and Darlington and the metropolitan boroughs of Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead.