Children in north Bristol are playing their part in making sure that nursery rhymes do not die out.

A survey this week revealed that some parents think Britain's traditional rhymes are old-fashioned.

Others do not sing them with their infants because they do not feel the favourite ditties are educational.

But experts say nursery rhymes enable children to develop an ear for language that can help them as they get older and learn to read. The charity Bookstart, which provides free books for babies and toddlers across the country, carried out the study, which revealed that Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was the nation's favourite rhyme.

And it was just one of the rhymes that featured in a day of activities on the theme at Upper Horfield Children's Centre.

Parents and carers shared stories with babies and pre-school children and staff and some children dressed up as nursery rhyme characters.

The UK's top 10 rhymes are:

1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

2. Incey Wincey Spider

3. Round and Round the Garden

4. Baa Baa Black Sheep

5. The Grand Old Duke of York

6. If You're Happy and You Know It

7. Humpty Dumpty

8. This Little Piggy

9. Ring a Ring a Roses

10. I'm a Little Teapot