CHILDREN have created a symbolic piece of art to celebrate being in their new school building for a year.

All 104 pupils at Kirk Merrington Primary School, near Spennymoor, along with staff and governors have contributed to a picture marking its first anniversary.

Each added a butterfly- representing how they grow and learn at school before spreading their wings- to the artwork which will hang in the main entrance.

The school also hosted a party to celebrate the replacement of an outdated 85-year-old wooden school with a spacious, state of the art £3.4m development.

Heateacher Helen Williams said: “It has been a marvellous year- a struggle to get settled at times and a lot to do and think about but also lovely, full of exciting things and we’re all very proud of our new school.

“We now feel more of a community school, we can invite people in to events and hold celebrations like this birthday party which were impossible in the old school.”