PUPILS from Ashton-under-Hill First School scooped a £500 first prize in an anti-littering competition run by Wychavon District Council.

Schools across the district were challenged to make a 60 second film about littering, with the Ashton students cleaning up the competition with their entry about the impact waste has on wildlife.

The video, titled 'Do not litter, Keep nature fitter' included interviews with officials from the RSPCA and the Environment Agency.

Juliet Shiels, teaching assistant at the First School, said: "This is something the children were really keen to be involved with and we’re delighted to have won. We’re planning to spend the money on a bird nest camera and have some projects and activities planned around bird nesting."

Bredon Hancock’s Endowed C of E First School took second place and was awarded £150 for their video, while Pershore High School came third and received £50.

Cllr Emma Stokes, Wychavon’s portfolio holder for environment and street scene, presented the prizes to the pupils at the Envirosort plant.

Children were also given a tour of the facility and saw how recycling is sorted and processed ready to be sent off and reused.

The money was provided by sponsors Severn Waste, which runs the Envirosort Plant at Norton where the district’s recycling is dealt with, and FCC Environment, responsible for keeping Wychavon’s streets litter free.

Cllr Stokes said: "We were really impressed with the standard of the videos received. We hope this will help promote the message to young and old that littering is not acceptable. It damages our environment, endangers our wildlife and is costly to clean up."