YOUNGSTERS at a Stockton school have created four works of art from waste materials.

The youngsters, from Blakeston School, have been working with officers from Stockton Borough Council to explore awareness of waste issues and learn how to reduce the amount of waste that is discarded.

The officers met the pupils at the Education Centre, in Norton, where the pupils made four sculptures, a horse, car, elephant and toothbrush and toothpaste, all from waste material donated by businesses.

Councillor Steve Nelson, the council's cabinet member for the environment, said: "Creating the sculptures was an innovative way of illustrating that waste should be seen as a resource rather than something to be simply thrown away with no further use."

Samantha Garvey, 12, said: "We want to send a message out that many kids care about the environment. We want to help our school and the wider community become more aware about what why we should think about the rubbish we have."