YOUNGSTERS at a Clydebank primary school battled it out on Friday as they took part in a highly competitive gingerbread house competition.  

Primary one to seven pupils at Clydemuir Primary spent hours perfecting their sweet creations in the hopes of having their house crowned overall winners - and to snag the top prize of a 45-minute break on Monday.

Clydebank Post: Pupils waiting for the competition to start Pupils waiting for the competition to start (Image: Newsquest staff)The gingerbread houses and kits were donated to the Ottawa Crescent school by IKEA but the donation came with a twist.

Clydebank Post: Some of the fabulous entriesSome of the fabulous entries (Image: Newsquest Staff)The houses had to reflect that they were eco/environmentally friendly.

Clydebank Post:

Clydebank Post: Determined youngsters stepped up to the challenge with some of their homes featuring windmills and solar panels made out of sweets, chocolates, and icing.

Clydebank Post: The aim of the challenge was to secure as many house points as possible to be crowned overall term winnersThe aim of the challenge was to secure as many house points as possible to be crowned overall term winners (Image: Newsquest Staff)Tony Mayer, headteacher at Clydemuir, said: “We have four houses a bit like the Harry Potter theme – The Kelpies, Ben Nevis, Loch Lomond, and Edinburgh Castle - so all the children go ballistic for their house and are really keen to make their house win every week.

“At the end of every term we have a house challenge so last term, it was a Hallowe’en quiz and this term I thought it would be nice to do something related to Christmas.

“I thought every child could work within their class and their houses to build a gingerbread house.

“Then I realised we didn’t have any gingerbread and getting 38 of them would be a bit of a challenge on budgets and that’s where IKEA came in.

“They very, very kindly donated 32 gingerbread houses, the kits, everything but then they put an interesting slant on it that they would donate provided that the houses could reflect that they were eco-friendly or environmentally friendly.”

Clydebank Post: Team Ben NevisTeam Ben Nevis (Image: Newsquest Staff)

Clydebank Post: Team Loch LomondTeam Loch Lomond (Image: Newsquest Staff)

Clydebank Post: Team Edinburgh CastleTeam Edinburgh Castle (Image: Newsquest Staff)

Clydebank Post: Team The KelpiesTeam The Kelpies (Image: Newsquest Staff)One hundred and seventy children filed into the school’s main hall as they eagerly waited to hear who had won.

Whilst Mia and Jenny, two members of staff from IKEA’s Braehead store, spent time deciding on the five winners youngsters sang along to Christmas songs.

In the end, The Kelpies were crowned both winners of the house challenge and overall term winners.