YOUNG people are branching out from the classroom to take part in a gardening project that will give them new skills and boost their learning.

Two groups of year ten and 11 pupils at Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College are working with community charity The Cornforth Partnership in the school garden.

The youngsters are sowing seeds of mostly edible plants which will be harvested at the end of term or early in the next school year.

They will then be able to take some of the vegetables home to cook a Sunday lunch for their family and will sell other produce to raise money to buy seeds for next year.

Pupils have also made garden ornaments which will be sold to raise more funds for the project.