ARTY youngsters have brought a fiery start to the Chinese New Year, creating their very own dragon.

All 35 children at Rushwick Pre-School in Worcester's Upper Wick Lane have been hard at work since the start of the new term creating the 16-foot-long monster to celebrate the important event in the Chinese calendar today.

This year is the year of the rooster. The dragon was made from a sari sewn to six hoops, with a cardboard box as its head.

The Chinese New Year is the pre-school's topic for this term and youngsters have also been trying their hand at Chinese writing and making fans.

"They've all enjoyed it very much - they particularly like the stories, but making the dragon was their favourite activity," said supervisor Nicola Stobbs.