How Wild Is Your Garden event held at Old Catton Church Hall

More than 100 children attended the event at Old Catton Church Hall on Thursday, run by volunteers from the Deer Park Action Group (DPAG).

The How Wild is Your Garden event aimed to inspire primary school-age children to appreciate green spaces and protect them for generations to come.

Children enjoying the How Wild is Your Garden event in Old Catton, put on by the Old Catton Deer Park Action Group - Picture: DPAG (Image: DPAG)

DPAG has campaigned to protect green space in Old Catton from housing developers, with Norfolk Wildlife Trust hopeful that County Wildlife Site status will be awarded to the deer park in Spixworth Road.

Kathy Branson, chairwoman of DPAG, said: "The day was absolutely fantastic.

Kathy Branson, chairwoman of DPAG - Picture: Newsquest (Image: Denise Bradley/Archant 2022)

"It was beyond our wildest expectations.

"The great thing was that children and parents were working and learning together."

Attendees of the DPAG How Wild is Your Garden event on February 16 - Picture: DPAG (Image: DPAG)

Activities on the day included handling natural history objects courtesy of Norfolk Wildlife Trust, a 'poo detective' programme so children understand what critters live in their garden, pond dipping and handling live animals such as snakes, a hedgehog, jackdaw, giant cockroach and skunk.

"It's important, off the back of our campaigning, to allow children to have an appreciation of our green spaces and set up the next generation to appreciate it as we do," Kathy added.

A skunk at the How Wild is Your Garden event in Old Catton - Picture: DPAG (Image: DPAG)

"We want to encourage people to understand how all green spaces are connected and to keep our green lungs and wildlife moving throughout the parish.

"It was fantastic to see young families, a different demographic - join in.

Benedict Coates, 11 and Adam Coates, 14, handle a corn snake at the How Wild is Your Garden event in Old Catton - Picture: DPAG (Image: DPAG)

"It's generated a different conversation in the village and helped us enlist a new generation of green-fingered people to ensure our campaigning is not in vain.

"A lot of the children were saying how important the deer park is to them.

"They see it on the way to school and visit it - we need to protect it for the next generation."

A hedgehog at the How Wild is Your Garden event in Old Catton - Picture: DPAG (Image: DPAG)