JUNIOR litterpickers were out in force at a Southampton school to spruce up their playground.

Environmentally-friendly pupils at Mansel Junior School, in Culver Close, Millbrook, teamed up with neighbourhood wardens to clean up the school grounds.

Senior warden Wayne Hooper said: "I have worked with the school to organise a number of clean-ups in the past, and they are very popular with children.

"Surprisingly we even have a list of eager pupils who are happy to give up their lunch hour to help myself and my colleagues clean up the litter."

He added that he hoped the litterpick day would boost the children's attitudes towards other environmental projects.

Acting head teacher Anna Stanford said: "Litter can be a problem for us because our school path is a thoroughfare used by the local community and there are no facilities for waste paper near the path.

"The response from children has been brilliant and the improvement since the project began has been superb."