PRIMARY pupils who converted a derelict area at their local park into a wildlife haven are in the running to be named best school gardening team in the country.

The youngsters, who also plant flowers for local pensioners in their gardens, have been shortlisted by no less than the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

If they win, the pupils at Stanford in the Vale CofE School will get a new greenhouse and £3,425 to make their garden even more blooming marvellous.

The school's gardening co-ordinator Sue Finney, who nominated her team for the award, said: "All of the members of this club show constant dedication to one another.

"Using their excellent teamwork they have expanded their growing areas into the wider community, adopting an area of the local derelict play park and revamping it into a vibrant, well-planned area of interest to wildlife.

"Their selfless love for gardening has touched the hearts of many members of the community, but none more so than the elderly residents of the local care home.

"The club has made a community commitment to their elderly friends by planting up flowerpots, grown by them from seed, outside the residents' windows so they can admire them; giving the children a deeper awareness of different types of relationships with people of different ages."

As well as community cultivation, the club also plant flowers around the school, maintain their apple and pear trees and grow strawberries, potatoes and tomatoes, all of which they take into the school kitchen.

They are even planning to set up their own garden centre, open to the public and selling home-grown produce.

The club, which has more than 20 members aged five to 11, is up against three others from Hull, London and Falkirk.

As part of the judging process, each schools is making a five-minute video showcasing their love for gardening and excellent teamwork.

The film will include supportive statements from teachers and fellow pupils about why the school deserves to win.

The teams each receive a digital camera to make their short film which they can keep.

Each school also gets £250 of garden centre vouchers, a specially-engraved trowel and a set of gardening gloves just for reaching the final.

On top of their prize money, the winners get an extra £250 of garden centre vouchers and a celebrity gardener spending a day at the school.

A panel of gardening experts including TV presenter Frances Tophill are judging the entries now.

The winner of the RHS School Gardening Team of the Year 2017 will be announced at a special awards ceremony at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey in July.