CREEPY crawlies, flying insects and worms had children enthralled during a bug-hunting day at Wick Country Park.

The crazy creature capers event was held in Wickford to give youngsters a better understanding of the world around them and how to protect it.

During the day they learnt to use compasses and took part in an insect olympics, where they crawled like caterpillars, jumped like crickets and pretended to be insects with lots of legs.

Tristan Mcfarlane, education assistant for Basildon Council, said: "They explored all the different kinds of curious creatures in the long grass - what they are and how they move.

"We were looking for things like crickets, slugs, snails, various beetles, millipedes, centipedes with lots and lots of legs, anything that slithers or flies, and things that crawl and look disgusting!"

The day was arranged for youngsters to learn about the world around them and take this knowledge back to school.

Mr Mcfarlane explained: "It's good to know what's out there, what's around you, especially now there's problem with habitat loss and extinction.

"They can find out why people are worried if what just looks like a field of grass is cut to play football. They can learn what's there and why people are protecting it."