SCHOOLCHILDREN have been letting their imaginations run riot along with their colouring paints to illustrate what the future should hold for the Hive Beach in Burton Bradstock.

The children were taking part in aNational Trust competition to share their visions of the beach.

Sally Twiss for the National Trust said the children from Burton Bradstock Primary School heard talks by National Trust wardens about the different people who use the beach and the wildlife that surrounds it and were then challenged to paint or draw their ideas for its future.

She said: "There were some pretty stunning ideas from the two different age groups. The winner drew a lovely illustration suggesting an information centre where people learn about collecting fossils and looking after the countryside.

"There was also a lovely picture by a one of the younger group that stood out - they were all beach scenes except for this one graphic picture of brambles from a lad who wanted us to cut them down as his brother got scratched by them.

"There was another lovely one asking people not to leave their litter on the beach with people looking very sad surrounded by litter.

"Other ideas were for a fishing shop to hire or buy equipment, and one child even wanted a roller coaster on the beach.

"They had obviously all thought about it and had different ideas - some were quite wild and some more conventional."