A project aimed at encouraging school children to get into gardening has been extended to 20 more schools thanks to a North East construction group.

Now in its third year, 'Grow with Esh', which helps school children get involved with local horticultural projects, is being extended across the region and beyond by Esh Group.

Twenty schools, from Berwick in Northumberland, across Tyne and Wear, County Durham, Tees Valley and to Guisborough in North Yorkshire, have each received £1,000 which will be used during the course of the summer to set up and develop their projects to compete for prizes totalling £5,000. More than 60 schools have now benefited from the scheme.

All primary schools throughout the North East were invited to send in ideas for a project in which students tackle some form of horticultural cultivation and improve an outdoor area near their school.

Jack Lumsden, a Trustee of the Esh Charitable Trust said: ''Every school we've selected gets £1,000 to use on their scheme - after that it's down to them. To stand a chance of winning any of the £5,000 prize money they'll have to work hard. We're looking for 'can do' people who have good ideas and put them into practice. At Esh Group we employ over 1,000 people and we believe that it's important, especially in these challenging times, that people are positive and versatile."

The three best schemes will receive further prizes of £3,000, £1,500 and £500 respectively following judging in the autumn term.

Karen Wilkinson-Bell, Regional Director of Business in the Community in the North East, said: 'I understand that this is the third year of 'Grow with Esh' and that including today, 60 schools and hundreds of children have benefitted from the project. Business in the Community recognises what a great example it is of how Esh Group supports the future of the region through young people."