Pupils from five East Ayrshire schools have been given the opportunity to see how work is progressing on a new £68m education campus.

The Barony Campus will cater for the area's young people all the way from early years through primary and on to secondary with additional support schooling.

The campus will also cater to sports with two full sized, floodlit synthetic rugby pitches.

It will also include a 400m, four-lane lane running track, two full sized grass pitches and various other courts for sports including badminton and basketball.

A community space will include a cafe, meeting rooms, theatre space, catering kitchen, recording studio, music practice rooms and project space.

Pupils representing all five schools involved in the merger attended the site this week for a special groundbreaking ceremony alongside councillors and the local MSP.

Council leader Douglas Reid said: "After a considerable period of discussion, deliberation and consultation, it really is a pleasure to see this project coming out of the ground.

"It's one thing to see the drawings on paper, but it's only when you are on site that you really appreciate the scale of this project and the impact it will have on the lives of our young people and communities.

"East Ayrshire is leading the way with this campus. This project has been brought to life thanks to the input from pupils, parents, teachers and the wider local communities.

"The design will provide a nurturing 21st century learning and teaching environment to enable every child and young person to reach their full potential, and members of the community in Cumnock, Auchinleck and the surrounding villages will also be able to take advantage of the facilities on offer."

Work is expected to be completed on the campus by summer 2020.