CHILDREN at a Bradford Primary School have made sure the community never forgets the sacrifice made by the country's military.

Marshfield Primary School decided to mark 100 years since the start of the First World War by turning an outdoor area near their school into a memorial woodland.

Children, staff and parents from the West Bowling school have planted over 400 trees, which they hope will stand as a living memorial for generations to come.

Bookending the weekend's remembrance events, children put on their wellies and braved the winter weather to plant a tree each on Thursday, Friday and yesterday.

The planting took place on an area of school owned land off Hope Avenue, which has been transformed into an outdoor classroom area, used by pupils every day.

The trees were provided by the Woodland Trust.

Although the planting co-incided with the war centenary, the trees will also honour the memory of more recent war dead.

The pupils have all had classes and assemblies on why we remember the war dead with poppies, and the importance of the yearly remembrance events.

Later today all the pupils in the school will gather to watch the national remembrance event on TV. Staff say creating a memorial wood has helped the children better grasp the sadness of war and the importance of remembering the dead.

Hannah Pitt outdoor education leader, said: "There is a big commitment to outdoor education at the school, we really want to give children the experience and get them to enjoy hands on style activities. Just being outside in that environment is a great thing for the children.

"We've had a successful bid from the Big Lottery fund and we're really tried to get the community involved and using this land. We wanted to make the area the best it can be.

"The Woodland Trust has been giving away huge packs of trees, enough for every single child to plant a tree. We decided to make it a memorial, something the children can contribute to the community.

"Something like this provides a lasting legacy and really brings the whole idea of remembrance to life for them.

"We've told them that hopefully when they have children they will be able to play in the woods they have planted.

"As well as the children all the staff have also planted trees, and we have also invited parents to come and take part."

And tomorrow, pupils from other schools in the city will be learning about the choices faced by people in the war at an event at the city library. The Poppies for Remembrance event is being run by the Peace Museum in conjunction with several local schools.

Part of the "Choices - Then and Now" programme being run by the Bradford based museum, the children will look into both the people who fought, and often died, in the war as well as those who decided not to fight. For many conscientious objectors, their decision not to fight on moral grounds had severe consequences. The educational programme has been picked up by schools across the country.

The museum has identified the graves of several conscientious objectors in Undercliffe Cemetery, and plans to arrange for white poppies - the signs of "conchies" to be laid regularly at their graves.

Tomorrow's sessions in Bradford Library will see children making the tradditional red poppies as well as the white poppies to remember those who chose not to fight.