Handy apprentices at Moreton Morrell College have built brand-new geranium trains for the annual Leamington in Bloom gardening competition.

The trains are planted each year, with colourful flowers grown by children from local primary schools, but carpentry and joinery tutor Russell Harrison from the college in Warwickshire realised that the old wooden trains were beyond repair and needed to be replaced.

He and the apprentices then started work on designing and building the new set of two new engines and 28 carriages.

Mr Harrison said: “It’s been a lot of extra work for the apprentices, but they are a great group and have thrown themselves into it. We can’t wait to see the final trains painted up at Jephson Gardens and the station.”

Kyran King, 20, an apprentice at Nick Pointon Ltd, said: “We’ve been working on this for a couple of months, as we’re only in college one day a week. It’s really rewarding to be part of a community project like this and it’ll be great when they’re finished and we can see them on display.”

Picture: Back row from left: Philip Lester, aged 19, Adam Harris, 19, and Sam Griffin 19, Front row from left: Luke Allman, 20, lecturer Russell Harrison, Corey Little, 19, and Kyran King, 20