GLOOP, gunge and soil were aplenty for nursery children who had fun in the mud as they joined in with a new national scheme.

Saffron Walden Nursery School, on Shire Hill, took part in the first National Children’s Day last Wednesday. The initiative – which started in 1954 and has been celebrated by countries worldwide – emphasises the importance of play and creativity, and is aimed at celebrating the rights and freedoms of children.

The nursery school took the opportunity to allow the youngsters to take part in all sorts of forest school play activities – and they had great fun making mud faces, stick weaving, den building and mud kitchens.