A Ground Force-style makeover will turn a school playground which has been described as a prison yard into a colourful haven.

While the transformation will improve the site at Stanford Junior School in Brighton, it is also being designed to help youngsters develop social skills with so-called friendship stations and play equipment.

Phase one of the project is already under way after more than £20,000 was raised to pay for it.

Parents hope to generate a further £40,000 to complete the transformation.

Project manager Steve Geliot, who has two daughters at the school aged seven and nine, said: " I'm an artist and do quite a lot of environmental art projects. It is a typical Victorian prison yard playground.

"There is a whole middle section which was formerly a garden but is now a muddy, weedy area with nettles.

"The new garden will contain quite abstract shapes with colourful markings on the ground. It will probably double the space available to children."

Mr Geliot was part of the team which helped transform the playground at Stanford Infants School a few years ago.

The parents involved in that project decided they could not stop with one school and vowed to improve the junior school.

They raised the money with parties, fairs, sponsored walks and other events.

They also successfully applied for match funding under the Seed Challenge Scheme.

Mr Geliot said: "This time I have designed it in collaboration with the junior school pupils.

"We are well on the way with phase one. The next stage is to redevelop an adventure play area with rubber flooring and boulders for the children to climb on.

"It's going to become very colourful and bouncy and we hope to do it at either Christmas or Easter.

"I can't believe how hard the parents have worked to get to this stage. They have been marvellous at raising money."

Parents said the new playground would give pupils a more stimulating environment and allow teachers to develop an outdoor curriculum.

Christina Taylor, head of Stanford Parent Teacher Association, said: "I have held fund-raising events to get as much money as we can.

"The emphasis has been very much on the children raising the money, with events such as the sponsored walk last weekend, which was a great way of getting them involved."

Miss Taylor said the playground would encourage pupils not to bully each other because there would be other things to stimulate them.

She said: "Children have had input into the design and have created areas such as friendship stations.

"They allow them to be more aware of their play. Instead of going back into class having had a frustrating lunchtime they will have done something more interesting, maybe gone outside their circle of friends and played with other children.

"The children are already excited and it will give them more pride and a sense of belonging by creating things for themselves.

"I think this is really important for them."

The school has recently received sponsorship from American Express and Legal & General, who have given money towards six colourful benches made by a local artist.

Fund-raisers are looking for other local businesses to help raise the rest of the money and are hoping the project will be finished by next Easter.