WHO says young children don't understand about coronavirus? Youngsters from three York primary schools have been drawing messages of hope to send to children around the world affected by the virus. Their pictures are full of wit, humour - and wisdom.

Several drew 'Corona Stopper' shields. In one picture, a giant needle is shown injecting a virus particle, while a boy shouts 'we did it!' In another, a doctor in blue scrubs and facemask fires an 'antidote gun' at a green virus blob, while a third shows a giant globe which is part blue-green Earth and part invading, spiky virus - with the Earth winning. Everywhere, there are reminders to 'wash your hands', 'stay at home' and 'stop the spread'.

The children, from Lord Deramore's, St George's and Ralph Butterfield primary schools, did the drawings as part of a UNESCO project. Although the online project began in Denmark, York was invited take part as a UNESCO city of creative media arts, says Chris Edwards of REACH, the York cultural education partnership.

Children were invited to draw a superhero fighting the virus, a 'cool shield' or a message of hope. They only had a week to get organised, but the three schools leaped at the chance.

"It was a fantastic opportunity for our children to reflect and talk about their own experiences of living through the Covid-19 pandemic," said Ralph Butterfield head Liz Clark. "It opened conversations around all children across the world facing the same challenges."

"As soon as we told the children they started on their creations straight away," added St George’s head Dee Statham. "If any of our children’s drawings can give a tiny bit of hope to any other child we would be very happy."

"This was a great project for us," said Lord Deramore's head James Rourke. "The children were able to be creative, to think outside the box and talk about the future after Covid."

The children's drawings are now part of an international display which schools have shared online with colleagues in Viborg, Denmark. You can find out about the project on Twitter, Instgram or Facebook at #Drawwithdenmark, or at unesco.viborg.dk/in-english/