Sam EmanuelAn infant school in Hellesdon has been using Yellow Pages to boost its green credentials and beaten hundreds of schools to become recycling champions of England.Sam Emanuel

An infant school in Hellesdon has been using Yellow Pages to boost its green credentials and beaten hundreds of schools to become recycling champions of England.

Arden Grove Infant School has been named Yellow Pages Recycling Champions for England 2009 after recycling 1,895 of the old telephone directories despite only having 145 pupils - an equivalent of 14 directories per pupil.

The school has been awarded �1,000 prize money which will be spent on equipment for their new pond, 30 sets of waterproof clothing and a shed to put the new equipment in.

It came top of the medium schools category in the English finals of the Yellow Woods Challenge, the environmental campaign for schools run by Yellow Pages, the Woodland Trust and local authorities across the country.

A total of 1072 schools and 249,455 pupils took part in the Yellow Woods Challenge.

Abi Ottolangui, eco-leader at Arden Grove Infant and Nursery School, said: 'We are absolutely thrilled - we feel a real sense of achievement for winning and it is so rewarding for all our hard work to be recognised.

'It was a real team effort with all children, staff, Home School Association, governors, parents, carers, grandparents and friends included in collecting and counting the Yellow Pages.

'Our Eco-Committee is thrilled with the money as they are applying for their 2nd Green Flag Award.'

The Willows school in Blackpool won the small schools category and St Stephen's Infant School in Bristol scooped the large schools prize.

Councillor John Fisher, portfolio holder for environmental policy development at Broadland District Council, said: 'It is a major achievement for Arden Grove Infant and Nursery School to receive this national award and shows the effort and hard work put in by all. I would like to congratulate them and say that they are setting an excellent example for us all.

'This reflects the excellent record of recycling across Broadland and with young people starting to understand the importance of recycling at such an early age, we will see a better understanding of environmental issues as they grow up.'

Do you have any school news for Local Life? Call Sam Emanuel on 01603 772438 or email sam.emanuel@archant.co.uk.