Pupils at six Wokingham Borough schools have put up colourful artworks urging motorists not to run their engines when their vehicles are stationary.

The annual display is organised by My Journey Wokingham, the council’s active travel team, to reduce air pollution at these sites as part of its Air Quality Schools scheme.

Pupils drew up their best designs and a winner from each school was chosen to put their masterpiece on show.

Five primaries and one secondary took part, all in areas where My Journey is working to improve air quality with funding from the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

Each piece of artwork is meant to serve as a "colourful but serious reminder" to stop motorists from idling their engines outside schools.

The council wants to reduce this because substances like particulates and nitrogen dioxide, both created by burning fuel, cause serious health problems – especially in children.

By switching off instead of idling, motorists run less risk of contributing to illnesses like heart disease, stroke, asthma and other breathing problems or lung cancer.

This year’s winners were: Charlotte (Year 5, Evendons Primary School), Arham and Henry (Years 3 and 6, Westende Junior School), Scarlett (Year 5, The Hawthorns Primary School), Holly (Year 6, Hawkedon Primary School), Amy (Year 4, Emmbrook Junior School) and Summer (Year 9, St Crispin’s secondary school).

A spokesperson from Wokingham Council said: "The winners deserve to be proud of their creations and it is encouraging to see they understand the importance of being environmentally friendly."