A YOUNGSTER has won £1,000 for his school by winning a competition to design the dream bird box.

Luke Rowcroft, nine, of Ox Close Primary School, in Spennymoor, has won the Giving Nature A Home national competition.

His task was to design a nest box which would hold a house sparrow.

His design had already won £500 after it topped a regional heat of the competition run by JDP, which supplies civil and drainage products.

The design for a tractor shaped bird box came following a visit by the youngster and his family to Hall Hill Farm, in Lanchester.

The school is to use the money to carry out an environmental project and the youngster’s design will feature on JDP’s 2015 customer calendar.

Louise Shepherd, family support assistant at Ox Close Primary School said: “We are so proud of Luke and his winning design.

“The competition has been a great way to introduce sustainability and the natural environment into our lessons and to educate our pupils about conservation and garden habitats.”

JDP invited 200 schools around England, Scotland and Wales to enter its competition and more than 1,000 children entered.

John Upton, regional manager for JDP, said: “It was a very hard decision to pick an ultimate winner as the standard of work from all the children was very high.

“Luke’s really stood out for the judges. He is a worthy winner of the national prize for his school.”