JUNIOR street wardens will be planting an array of bulbs on public land across the Parks and Walcot areas of Swindon over the weekend.

It is the latest community scheme undertaken by the junior wardens, whose mission is to improve the quality of life in the neighbourhoods they serve.

The planting was suggested at the annual meeting of the junior wardens, who were recently named as the best of their kind in the country in an award given by the office of the Deputy Prime Minister. At the meeting, Swindon mayor Derek Benfield (Lab, Covingham and Nythe), pointed out that a similar planting scheme some years ago in Covingham proved a great success.

Junior Street Wardens supervisor Chris Neville Jones said of the Parks and Walcot effort: "The main objective of this project is to organise and create garden displays that will come into full bloom in the spring."

Coun Brian Ford (Con, Wroughton and Chiseldon), the local authority's lead member for community safety, added: "The bulb planting by the junior street wardens of Parks and Walcot will improve the community's envir- onment and space.

"This initiative will make a real difference to the appearance of the estates.

"I am pleased to see local children taking pride in their communities and taking the lead in addressing identified local issues."