An Ashton eco-primary school welcomed a royal visitor as a result of winning a national environmental competition.

Pupils at Canan Burrows CE Primaryu School performed a special assembly abou the environment for the Duchess of Cornwall. Their theme was 'We are a small part of the world, but making a positive difference.' As winners of a national 'Wipe out Waste' competition, the children were awarded an energy saving unit which the Duchess switched on during her visit. She also unveiled a plaque to mark her trip to Ashton.

The Duchess then had a whistle-top tour of classrooms talking with pupils working on projects about recycling, global warming and looking after wildlife.

To win the award, the children devised a way to prolong the life of the humble pencil. They recognised that most people throw pencils away when they are still useful, but too small to handle comfortably. By creating a pencil holder from recycled milk bottles they extended the pencil and also its life.

The school's work has been recognised by many awards, including the first DCSF Teaching Award for Education for Sustainable Development and five ECO flags. Canon Burrows looks for ways to reduce carbon emissions and has recently installed a green roof and solar panels.