A RUN-DOWN play area at a Borehamwood primary school is set to be transformed by volunteers as part of Mitzvah Day, a Jewish-led initiative that encourages people of all faiths to donate their time to charity.

Meryfield Community Primary School in Theobald Street was selected from a dozen finalists to win a team of volunteers for the day, in the Times Series Mitzvah Day competition.

On Sunday, November 21, a team of journalists will help convert a paved concrete area into a green learning environment, where children can care for the school's tortoise and keep rabbits.

Teacher, Rita Cooper, said: “It's absolutely fantastic that we won, we serve quite an urban community and lots of our children may not have a green space to play.

“It's just too big a project for us to tackle alone, so we are thrilled to have some support. It will make a fantastic difference to the children.”

The team of volunteers will transform the play area by removing concrete slabs, painting walls and planting trees.

Mrs Cooper added: "It will be a nice, quiet area the children can go to and look after the animals, and a great place we can use like an outside classroom."

Last year, the Times Series team rejuvenated a run-down garden in a school in East Finchley, which caters for youngsters with special needs.