SOUP-ER troopers from a Greenock nursery are keeping the pot boiling with a tasty trade in healthy lunches.

Youngsters at Hillend Children's Centre not only make lovely lentil soup, they also sell it to their parents as part of an award-winning social enterprise project.

The centre received a national enterprise award for the scheme, presented by John Swinney, the cabinet secretary for education and the project is paying off by making profits.

Sandra McFayden, a family support worker, said: "We took part in Inverclyde Council's Dragons' Den initiative and we were granted £300 to set up the soup project.

"We received the enterprise award and we were the only nursery in Scotland to get it."

Children and staff received the prestigious certificate at the City Halls in Edinburgh and even composed a soup song which they sang to the government minister.

Sandra said: "The children love doing this.

"They learn not only how to make the soup but about the ingredients and where the food comes from.

"It proved to be very popular with parents.

"The children also learn about handling money and take turns to sell the soup.

"We're in profit now by £80 to £90 and this goes back to school funds.

"Mt Swinney said not many companies were in profit within six months!"