MOTHERS and children have been joining forces with their grandmothers and great-grandmothers to create special story sacks at a workshop.

A team of pensioners have been hard at work making finger puppets and cuddly toys for the sacks, which were used in the workshop to promote literacy and numeracy as well as creativity skills.

Sure Start manager Julie Conner said: "Every sack has a book and props. For example, if it's Goldilocks and the Three Bears, there are be three different sized teddies, three bowls and three spoons.

"This would be supported by a non-fiction book, maybe about bears in the wild or making porridge, then a game for numeracy and literacy, and a tape."

And the man behind the idea of the story sacks travelled to Whitecliffe Primary School in Carlin How yesterday to see his idea come to fruition.

The sacks will now be shared among the four primary schools in the East Cleveland Sure Start area - Whitecliffe, Harry Dack, Hummersea and St Joseph's.