PUPILS from Cherry Tree Primary School, who worked alongside Watford Council officers on a pocket park project, will soon see the fruits of their labours.

Plans for the park, near North Western Avenue, were approved by Watford Council's leisure committee on Tuesday night.

It was the culmination of six months' work by pupils at the school, who have been working closely with officers from the council's parks and cemeteries department.

Together they drew up detailed plans and proposals for park.

The planning process included the setting up of a company at Cherry Tree Primary School with pupils nominating council representatives as managing and technical directors.

The company was supervised by the headmistress and form teachers.

Five departments formed the company (census, planning, health and safety, finance and publicity) with the pupils taking control of each area of the process.

When final plans were completed these were drawn up by the officers and checked to ensure that they were exactly what the pupils had designed.

Cherry Tree teacher Miss Eleanor Hughes said: "It was good because the children really got involved.

"I don't think the children will believe it will go ahead until they actually see it with their own eyes. It was great because you teach them maths and then when they are dealing with this they can see that there is a reason for doing maths - the subject then has a real relevance."

The council has agreed to finance the project and now tenders are being invited so that pupils can commission the work. The pupils will decide which option they would prefer and decide which one will be built on the site.

Vice chairman of the leisure committee, councillor Norman Tyrwhitt said: "The pupils at Cherry Tree School have done an excellent job in designing and managing the pocket park for the land close to North Western Avenue.

"I am delighted with the ideas and look forward to seeing their hard work rewarded.

"This project will provide a much needed play area for young people in north Watford which has been designed and planned by young people."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.