CHILDREN from Blackburn and Chorley are this month being given a gardening challenge to help raise money for a national charity.

Bibic, which helps children and young people with conditions affecting their social, communication and learning abilities, is asking youngsters from the area to grow the ‘fattest sunflower face’.

Mary Matthews, fundraising and PR manager for bibic, said: “Last year we ran a competition for children to grow the smiliest plants around and it was so popular that we have decided to run it again.

“We’re asking greenfingered children to get involved and grow the sunflower with the fattest face and the seeds youngsters will use have been bred especially to have large flower ‘heads’.

“We have joined forces with virtual garden centre www.potterandrest.co.uk and the company has kindly donated packets of the special sunflower seeds for any youngsters who would like to take part.

Parents, guardians or teachers are invited to order a packet of seeds, while stocks last, for £1 from http://bit.ly/1gyVsGO. An entry form can also be downloaded from http://bit.ly/1Caz0As.