Schoolchildren were buzzing when they were asked to help two artists with an insect-themed project.

Youngsters from Jenny Hammond School in Leytonstone created 30 model bugs from beeswax for a project by artists Sally Labern and Jacques Nimki called [dis]tinct.

The tiny sculptures, intended to represent the diversity of Leytonstone’s multi-cultural population, have now been placed on buildings and in public places within a square mile of the school.

Artist Ms Labern said: “It has been an extraordinary journey for me as an artist, working with the children and meeting so many people in the community, who have shared their passions, stories and their value of the differences within their local community.”

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

One of the bug sculptures at Leytonstone High Road Station

As part of the project, the pupils also visited people who work within the community, including Leytonstone Fire Station, where one of the insects is installed.

The final part of the project, which launches today, is a phone app, which will form part of the Leytonstone Art Trail, allowing the public to find the insects.

Jenny Hammond School head teacher, Deborah Gibbon, said: “This has been so much more than an art project.

“It has linked the creativity of the school with the community's diversity - with our wonderful bronze insects creating a bond between the two.”