Blackridge Primary pupils have been inspired by Blawhorn Moss National Nature Reserve in West Lothian to produce a collection of environmental art.

Their exhibition, which has been organised by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), opened last week at Blackridge’s Craig Inn Centre. Staff from SNH and the National Galleries of Scotland have been working with the children.

Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead, who was given a preview of the exhibition, said: “Encouraging children to look at the natural world and interpret it in creative ways is helping to build our future. If we grow up understanding and appreciating our natural environment, then we are more likely to look after it.”

The bog, which has over 12,000 years of moss growth, is a survivor of a huge mass of peat which once covered the entire area of central Scotland. Large parts of these deep peat deposits were dug out for fuel, drained for farming or planted for forestry. Bog habitat is still under threat nationally - almost 94 per cent of the UK’s lowland raised bog habitat has been lost since the end of the 19th century.