A PRIMARY school in Ilkley has been visited by Yorkshire Water and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to promote reducing water wastage.

The 'Soak it Up' workshop at Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School taught pupils about the importance of water sustainability and reducing water in drainage.

Ideas included roof gardens, vegetable patches and water butts, which can help the environment and reduce the chances of flooding.

Children were then set the challenge of designing and building their own sustainable drainage systems.

Alixena Lubomski, headteacher at Sacred Heart Primary, said: “The children all thoroughly enjoyed their recent 'Soak it up' workshops and assemblies.

“They were fascinated by the range of challenges they were presented with by the team and had to think deeply about how they could solve the complex problems that our school grounds present in relation to holding surface water back from filling the nearby river.

“The children, staff and parents are very excited about the volunteers' day in the summer term when the children's ideas come into being.”

Sacred Heart Primary is the18th school across Yorkshire to partner with Yorkshire Water and the Wildlife Trust to teach the importance of maintaining a sustainable water system.

Anne Reed, education and volunteering manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “Sustainable drainage systems are simple but highly effective way to utilise rain water. They can give a major boost to the local environment and to local wildlife whilst also playing a big role in flood prevention.

“We are thrilled to work with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to spread awareness and deliver some fun activities for local schools!”

Alixena Lubomski, Headteacher at Sacred Heart Primary School, said: “The children across Sacred Heart's Key stage 2 classes all thoroughly enjoyed their 'Soak it up' workshops and assemblies recently.

“They were fascinated by the range of challenges that they were presented with by the team and had to think deeply about how they could solve the complex problems that our school grounds present in relation to holding surface water back from filling the nearby river."