PLAY time at a Cornish school has been elevated to a new level, thanks to a new wooden playground tractor that has been crafted by members of the Looe Shedders.

The community-driven project, constructed primarily from recycled materials, has proved an instant hit with pupils at Trenode Primary School, who wasted little time in testing out their new addition.

Brought to the schools in parts and then assembled in the playground, the tractor showcased the group’s dedication to local initiatives.

“We’re just extremely grateful to Looe Shedders that they’ve been able to create such a wonderful piece of equipment for our school,” said Bethany Pike, the school’s headteacher. “We love the fact that you can’t buy this in a catalogue.

“The children know the community has contributed to it and I think that’s something really special. We’re just very fortunate with having the link to it being a tractor and being such a small rural school with farming families. That’s why our children are going to absolutely love it.”

Almost all of the tractor was made with recycled materials donated by local people, including composite decking and all of the wood. The large back wheels came from a cable drum from the Looe Harbour Commission and the two steering wheels came from sit-on-mowers.

Currently, Looe Shedders meet a couple of times a month in Looe’s St Martin’s Community Hall, but they had recently launched a “New Home” campaign to address this issue.

The group are looking for land on which it could build a shed or an existing building that could be adapted for its use.

“Having our own shed would be a game-changer,” said Chris Roy, Looe Shedders’ chairman. “It would mean we could meet more often and work on projects regardless of the weather. It would encourage more people to join Looe Shedders.”