Pupils from Year 2 at Lichfield Cathedral Junior School at Longdon Green have been awarded prizes in a drama, literacy and art project organised by the Lichfield Festival.

Toad’s Challenge, organised to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Kenneth Grahaeme’s The Wind in the Willows, received entries from over 300 primary school children from Staffordshire and the West Midlands.

The children participated in a drama workshop led by Jennifer Smith, the Lichfield Festival’s Education Manager, in which they explored the characters, themes and settings of the classic novel. They then took what they had learnt from the workshop and, in response, created written stories and art work, which were exhibited in a school’s gallery at the Lichfield Library.

Isabella Herbert, from Brereton, and Martha Farr-Deacon, from Tamworth, both aged 6, were awarded prizes and both won a family day pass to Telford Wonderland.

Four pupils also won runners-up commendations: Alexander Gilbert, Drew Bradley, India-Ava Hillback and Hannah Wilkins.

Mrs Margaret Pearson, Head of Lichfield Cathedral Junior School, said “The Year 2 children all really enjoyed taking part in this project and we were thrilled to be informed that Isabella and Martha had won prizes. The Wind in the Willows is such a great, classic novel and a wonderful subject for the Lichfield Festival’s Third Lichfield Literature Weekend.”