Dogs arriving at school is always an exciting occasion, and when they're the teachers, it's even better.

Pupils of St Bees School were over the moon to welcome some very clever canines to their lessons, with members of the Cumbria Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) explosive detection team teaching them all about their amazing sniffer dogs.

With Sellafield just a short distance down the road, the school jumped at the chance to be introduced to the nuclear site's top team members, and learn how they keep the county – and entire country – safe.

During a one-hour assembly, the CNC handlers explained how the dogs work, being trained to detect a variety of explosives and dangerous materials that could cause serious problems for the site if left un-found.

And the students loved every second, observing just how intelligent and talented the four-legged workers are, watching them find real hidden samples of explosive material – something they had no trouble at all sniffing out.

Year 7 pupil, Eve, was amazed by the session, and couldn't believe just how brilliant the dogs were at their job.

"It was really interesting to learn about the different jobs that dogs can do, and how they work to keep us safe," she said.

"The dogs were really well behaved and they enjoyed being rewarded when they found the explosives – their tails didn’t stop moving!

"It was such a fun thing to watch during school.”

Another happy school member was head teacher, Roger Sinnett, who was delighted to offer the pupils a real-life demonstration in a Covid-safe way, allowing the hands-on learning experience to live on at the school.

"Even though ‘sniffer dog training’ is not on the curriculum, it is vital that our students appreciate and understand the concepts of safety, but also other career options for the future,” he said.

“We live on the nuclear coast and Sellafield’s security is a huge aspect of our lives.

"Ensuring all of our students are aware of the real world beyond the curriculum is paramount .”

The brilliant afternoon was run within strict Covid-19 guidelines and safety measures, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.