PUPILS from a Forest primary school have done their community proud by taking part in a project to transform a “sad” tree stump into a spectacular carved seat inspired by their village.

Children from Newnham St Peters Primary School celebrated with local residents last week following the completion of the eye-catching new storytelling seat at the park in the centre of the village.

Local residents were “saddened” after a mature tree at the park had to be cut down for safety reasons last year.

Two villagers, Carolyn Black and Rhona Stephens, decided to take action and set up a campaign to raise funds to pay a sculptor to transform the stump into a piece of art.

And by February this year, more than enough donations had been made by local investors - beating the campaigners’ target of £1,500 - to allow Longhope sculptor Ant Beetlestone to begin work on the project.

The campaigners were “over the moon” to have agreed with Ant that out of the half stump he would create a ‘storytelling seat’, serving as “a special throne for children to sit in” at the playground.

Ant then visited Newnham St Peters Primary School and completed workshops with year five and six children to get some ideas for the seat’s design.

The pupils suggested that the carving should include local features from the village, such as St Peter’s Church, the clock tower and the famous Severn Bore.

Ant then got to work on the design, and the Newnham-inspired seat, which he crafted using a chainsaw, was completed this month.

A spokesperson for the school said of Ant’s work: “He has done an incredible job and we are all very proud of the contribution from our school children.”

Last Thursday (May 26), Carolyn and Rhona invited the children, members of the community and investors to gather in the park to celebrate the project and the success of their fundraising campaign, which was backed by Newnham Parish Council and the Newnham Harmony Project.