PUPILS who live near Bicester are providing help for birds struggling to find food and shelter during the winter months.

Adam Reid, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, visited Charlton-on-Otmoor Primary School to show pupils how to make bird feeders.

Pupils from years three and four made feeders from pine cones, seeds, apples and high-energy fat.

Sophie Charlesworth, eight, who lives in the village, said: “I made an apple feeder and I liked it when I pushed the stick through and tied the thread through the middle.”

Mr Reid, 27, said: “We help prepare the school grounds for our feathered friends so the children can see the birds from their classrooms.

“The bird feeders are full of energy and protein for the birds who rely on urban food sources during the winter.”

Schools across Oxfordshire are taking part in the RSPB’s Big Birdwatch, providing food and recording which birds come for dinner.

Mr Reid said: “The Birdwatch helps the RSPB paint a picture of which birds are in specific areas and which birds need our help.”