PRIMARY school children were angry and upset when their efforts to clean up rubbish from their neighbourhood counted for nothing.

Pupils fromMount Pleasant Primary School, in the Cockerton area of Darlington, turned up for school the day after they took part in a community litter pick to find the area had been trashed again.

The children joined students from Branksome Science College, and ward councillors Jan Cossins and David Regan for the litter-pick.

They cleaned up Branksome Hall Drive, the community garden and the surrounding areas.

Pupil Byron Wootton, nine, said: "We were out litter picking for two-and-a-half-hours around the school.We collected 12 bin bags of rubbish just in that time."

Jane Telfer, year four teacher, said the children were angry and upset when, walking to school the next morning, they made the discovery.

She said: "The rubbish they had cleared the afternoon before was back again and they felt as though all their hard work was for nothing. They couldn't believe people would litter again so soon after the clean-up."

Chloe Naisbitt, nine, said: "Everyone in our class wanted to be litter pickers, so we had to draw names out of a hat. I was so pleased when my name came out."

The children gave up their afternoon to join in the community event, and even received a letter from someone living in the area thanking them for their hard work, and praise from Darlington Borough Council's bin men.

Miss Telfer said: "The children were shocked at the amount of litter and cigarette ends that were outside, but they were very proud of what they had achieved when the area outside the school was spotless."

The litter pick took place on the penultimate day of the spring term.

Asa result of what happened overnight, children have now decided to ask the school council - made up of representatives from each class - to think of ways to stop people littering.

The school is running a poster competition and the children are working on their entries.

The winning poster will be displayed around the school community to deter people dropping litter.

Councillor Regan is aiming to get more cigarette and litter bins and the school has asked the council for litter pickers to continue their work.

Councillor Cossins said: "It's so shocking that people do not take pride in their surroundings. We are trying to teach young children about littering, and when something like this happens it could make the children think 'What's the point?'"