WELLIES, essential attire for young bird watchers everywhere, were celebrated at the region’s premier bird-watching centre at the weekend.

Youngsters made ‘welly-feeders’ out of worn out wellington boots at Saltholme RSPB centre, near Billingham.

But that was only part of the wellie-based fun.

“We’ve had them wellie-wanging, writing messages on a wellie-wish tree and just having a good old splash in puddles with their wellies on,” said Debbie Jobson, centre assistant at Saltholme.

“Most of the children are pre-schoolers, but we’ve had whole families coming in to take part.”

The next wellie season weekend at Saltholme will be on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 and 24. The activity costs £2 per person and the fun starts at 10am and finishes at 3pm. The RSPB centre is on Seaton Carew Road and is near Port Clarence. Call 01642-546625 to find out more.