WYCLIFFE pupils have hopped on to the trail of the Cotswolds hares - by creating their own mini event.

The teenagers from the College’s eight houses were challenged to design and create a hare which best represents the community in their house.

The results were judged by Stroud illustrator Tracy Spiers, who has created her own giant version, called Scarlet Red Hare, for The Cotswold Hare Trail.

The competition was the brainchild of Nikki Green, Head of Art at the Stonehouse school.

“It started because former parent Caroline Wynn, who runs Wynn’s Coffee Co in the High Street, Stonehouse, kindly donated five hares,” said Ms Green.

“We thought it would make a great community competition and the Parents Association Senior School kindly donated the money for us to buy another three.”

The winners were Luba Dzhioeva, Izzy Naish, both aged 15, from Ivy Grove House.

Everyone in Ivy Grove House had a finger in the creation - literally. The base colours of green and yellow was applied by finger painting.

Then the hare is covered in symbols to represent the different nationalities of the pupils along with an ivy motif.

“We had a lot of ideas and we didn’t want to leave any of them out so we incorporated them making sure everyone had some involvement,” said Izzy.

The pupils visited Tracy while she was working as artist in residence on her own creation at the Museum in the Park which now proudly stands outside in the courtyard.

It celebrates the Scarlet Red, tennis ball yellow and billiard green cloth which is still made in the Stroud valleys as well as referencing railway and time.

“I explained my own creative process so it was wonderful to see the designs the young artists came up with for their hares,” said Tracy.

“Each had its own special thought-provoking or playful narrative reflecting the students’ interpretation of community. It was so hard to choose as so much thought and artistry had gone into it.

“Ivy Grove House won me over due to the overall design, the fact that the house community all took part and the hare’s brilliant false eyelashes.”

The hares will be displayed around Wycliffe. The school hopes to auction them off to raise money for charity.