AN ECO-FRIENDLY school has secured Cheshire County Council an international award for its efforts to improve the environment.

Wistaston Green Primary School is one of three schools in the region to help the county council win a 'gold' standard award in the 2006 Green Apple Awards.

Part of an international campaign that recognises efforts to improve the environment, entrants were required to provide evidence of three new schools promoting sustainable development.

The projects had to demonstrate an integrated approach to the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of the communities being served for current and future generations.

In one of his last official engagements, Cheshire County Council chairman Barrie Hardern received the award from celebrity environmentalist David Bellamy.

Cllr Hardern said: "It was a great privilege for us to receive the award on behalf of Cheshire County Council and the teams behind the development of all three schools.

"The environment and energy conservation have been keynotes of my own term of office as county chairman so it gave double pleasure to see Cheshire honoured with a Gold award."

Wistaston Green Primary joined Northwich's Kingsmead Primary School and Chester's Hoole Primary School to win the award for the county council.

Their eco-friendly school buildings are built to last until 2060 and cope with warm and wet winters, hot and dry summers, increased extreme rainfall and increased wind speeds.

The designs feature extensive use of natural ventilation, use of rainwater to flush toilets, solar panels to provide hot water and energy, wind powered generators, recycled building materials and under-cover parent waiting areas to encourage walking and cycling to school.

The Wistaston Green project saw the construction of a £2.5million new school on the same grounds.