PLAYTIME at a Basingstoke school has become one big green adventure after a nature trail was opened.

The Woodland Trail, complete with bark chipping pathways, log benches and nest boxes for birds, was officially opened at Merton Infant School, in Romsey Close, Popley, by children's television personality Mike Amatt.

The trail, which was funded by Sentinel Housing Association, was the brainchild of geography co-ordinator Sally Cobbold, who is responsible for overseeing improvements to the school grounds.

Mrs Cobbold said: "We created the trail because we wanted our pupils to learn to look after the environment.

"It will help them to become more responsible citizens and lead to more imaginative play."

Mike Amatt, the writer and creator of CBeebies programme Forget-Me-Not Farm, said he was delighted to have been asked to open the trail because he has a passion for British wild flowers, particularly wild orchids.

"I will come back next spring and check if there are any wild orchids growing," he said.