CHILDREN have bagged a unique art project thanks to two volunteer sculptors.

Budding environmentalists at Fleetville Junior School in St Albans cleverly recycled old shopping bags by weaving them onto chicken mesh to create a plastic fantastic sculpture.

Art subject leader Louise McElhinney said Year Four classes – about 90 children in all – were involved in the project that was overseen by volunteers, sculptor Graham Tilbury and his wife June.

The couple made a metal frame which the pupils then transformed with pieces of chicken mesh woven with hundreds of old plastic bags. It was the culmination of half a term’s work for the pupils who learned about the importance of recycling courtesy of a litter pick-up earlier this year.

Louise said the Artsmark Gold-awarded school, “wanted to do something different this year, something more inspiring.” The youngsters had enjoyed creating the sculpture and seeing the colouful result which she expected to last a few years until the plastic started to fade.