A PEACEFUL outdoor reading area has been created for youngsters at a Kendal out-of-school club with help from neighbourly staff at Marks and Spencer.

The company's Sparks Something Good project saw each store given £500 to undertake a project in their community.

The Kendal team chose to work with Ghyllside Out of School Club, where Y'Anne Williamson - deputy head and responsible adult for the after-school club - wanted to create a quiet space to encourage children to read outdoors.

M&S Kendal's charities team, headed by Jo Packwood and Amanda Robb, began fundraising through bake sales, quiz nights and car treasure hunts.

Then, 13 members of M&S staff - together with four after-school club families and Mrs Williamson - gave up their Sunday to transform the outside area.

Five handmade planters were filled with herbs and fragrant plants, and a circular seat was constructed around a tree. Overgrown areas of grassed areas were edged, shrub beds weeded, an allotment plot dug over and planted with vegetables, and bunting festooned from a tree to complete the huge tidy-up.