YOUNGSTERS at a York primary school dug up the perfect Hallowe'en decoration - a pumpkin they planted when their school opened exactly one year ago.

St Barnabas CE School, in Jubilee Terrace, celebrated its first anniversary in new premises on by harvesting the fruit and veg grown in its allotment.

Head teacher Helen Davey said: "Watching how food is grown has been a very valuable exercise.

"We had no land at the previous school and many children live in homes with no gardens. This new school surrounded by land provided the opportunity for an allotment."

The new buildings were built as a PFI partnership between City of York Council and Sewell Education last November.

The allotment project - which grows tomatoes, cabbages, lettuces, garlic, onions, courgettes, pumpkins, raspberry canes and sunflowers - made it to the finals of The Press' Community Pride Awards The school has also won a Healthy Schools Award, and is considering extending a scheme to offer five places a day for parents to try its meals.

"Having parents on the same table was a good experience for the children, enabling them to talk and be sociable during lunchtime," said Mrs Davey.

"The parents told us that they were very impressed with the quality of the lunches which are cooked on the premises from fresh ingredients."