GREEN-thinking youngsters have scored a hat-trick of awards thanks to their care for mother nature.

Pupils from Mersey Drive Primary School in Whitefield have impressed judges from Keep Britain Tidy and have won the Green Flag Award for the third time — the only Bury school to do so.

To earn green flag status, schools must demonstrate special consideration to green transport, waste disposal, water usage, litter prevention, keeping school grounds clean, healthy living, energy use, biodiversity and global citizenship.

The more awards a school wins, the more judges' expectations rise and the school's ecology co-ordinator Sara Jackson said that fact makes it an extra-special achievement.

"To win this award three times is impressive and the children have done a great job," added Ms Jackson, a nursery teacher at the school.

At Mersey Drive, children hold meetings to decide what green projects they will work on. Children are given badges for picking up litter and are encouraged to conserve energy at home by switching off lights and computer screens if they are not being used.

They have looked after insects and chickens and incorporate what they learn about the environment into lessons.

Ms Jackson added: "The most rewarding thing about this award is that all the ideas come from the children themselves.

"Two children from every class sit on an eco council and meet every term to discuss what they want to do and I think it rubs off on their parents when they take it home.

"The award shows that green themes are central to everything we do at the school and we are all proud to win it for a third time."