TEENAGERS and toddlers are forming a close bond at St Antony's Catholic College as part of a Trafford wide campaign to promote more caring children.

Since 2001 the charity Teens and Toddlers has been working with schools both in the North West and London to connect teenagers with nursery-aged children.

The aim is to give teenagers added responsibility, introduce them to the caring professions and in doing so take some of the strain from the nursery staff.

Every week for 18 weeks, Year 10 students from the Urmston-based church school go to Highfield Primary to spend an hour with their children, both playing and working and seeing how the professionals go about providing a stimulating but safe environment in which the young inquiring minds can flourish.

This week, the nursery children returned the compliment by coming to the secondary school and seeing what life is like for their new friends on a day to day basis.

Sadie Lane, 15, who is pictured with Milan, said: “How can you not enjoy such a challenge. Your heart swells when you see the young ones reach out their arms to you.”

Kallum Wright, 14, who is pictured with Ben, added: “It's great fun and the time just flies. It has certainly made me think of going into a career in child care.”

Tanaya Shakoor, 14, who is pictured with Erin, added: “We as teenagers certainly look forward to our one hour session each week and I hope the children do also.”

Nursery teacher Natalie Shawcross, from Highfield Primary, said: “Every day the children ask when their friends are coming over and they can't wait to see them.”

St. Antony's associate headteacher, Fiona Wright, said: “This scheme is being run in seven Trafford secondary schools and shows that if you give teenagers more responsibility they will inevitably behave more responsibly.”

Mrs Wright added: “What a treat for us all to welcome the little ones into the school. Teaching teenagers day in day out you can perhaps be forgiven for occasionally forgetting just how lovely children can be.”