Children from St Albans are being given a gardening challenge to help raise money for a national charity.

The charity, bibic (Be Inspired By an Incredible Child), helps children and young people with conditions affecting their social, communication and learning abilities, and they are asking youngsters from the city to grow the fattest sunflower face.

Mary Matthews, fundraising and PR manager for bibic, said: "Last year we ran a competition for children to grow the smiliest plants around and it was so popular that we have decided to run it again.

"We're asking green fingered children to get involved and grown the sunflower with the fattest face and the seeds youngsters will use have been bred especially to have large flower heads.

"We have joined forces with virtual garden centre www.potterandrest.co.uk and the company has kindly donated packets of the special sunflower seeds for any youngsters who would like to take part.

The competition is also a fundraiser for bibic through a £1 donation, which people will be asked to make when they order their seeds.

All entries must be submitted via email before midnight on September 30, to hello@potterandrest.co.uk with the entry form and a photo of the sunflower attached to the email.