Nurseries and pre-schools in Bury St Edmunds have embraced a new initiative which gets young children gardening.

Youngsters have been growing vegetables, keeping gardening diaries and learning where their food comes from as part of the first awards scheme organised by Bury In Bloom’s Busy Green Fingers project.

On Friday, 17 nurseries and pre-schools spent an afternoon of celebrations at Moreton Hall Community Centre where they collected a certificate and gardening voucher,

Children also planted a daffodil bulb to take away which had been donated - along with pots and compost - by Woolpit Nurseries.

The East of England Co-op store in Out Risbygate, Bury donated the refreshments.

Bury in Bloom co-ordinator Melanie Lesser said: “By having this awards scheme it’s highlighting or showcasing a lot of the work that’s going on in pre-schools and nurseries.”

The judges went to view the children’s work, but Mrs Lesser stressed it was not a competition.

An application form for next year’s awards scheme is available from www.buryinbloom.org.uk