A TYPICAL school day is "rubbish" for pupils at a borough school.

But the teenagers at Prestwich Community High are not complaining as the subject of litter and waste is the focus of their latest environmental scheme.

The aim of the Action at School project, run in conjunction with Global Action, is to try to save money and resources by cutting the amount of waste the school produces each day.

And to find out just how much rubbish is generated by a school full of teenagers and teachers, the pupils spent a day armed with protective gloves and black bin bags.

Deputy headteacher Mr Graham Newman said: "They went around collecting sweet wrappers, litter and rubbish from classrooms. It was surprising how much recyclable material we generate each day."

Waste was sorted and weighed and pupils went back to the classroom to work out recycling programmes.

Mr Newman added: "The amount collected was 51 kilos, which reflected a typical day, and more than half of that was paper and clean waste. The pupils are now looking at their findings and how we can sell some of the rubbish on to generate money for the school or put it to good use."

The project, funded by Biffa Waste Management, will run all year and include a range of "green" events, including a fashion show with clothes made from recyclable material.