A SCHOOL has started an after-school club for very young newshounds to create stories for their school paper.

Walton and Lees Hill C Of E Primary School in Walton has last week started the club, which is the brainchild of their headteacher Mrs Fiona Stobbart.

Fiona said of the club, which is open to all age groups within the school: "Of the reasons behind starting the club was, as a school, we like to make a newsletter telling the community about what we are doing in the school, but I sometimes forget to publish things, as we often are quite busy, so I wanted help - that's how the club was started.

"There are also so may different learning aspects to the club, like literacy and photography, that the children can experience."

Fiona said the children are particularly fond of the prospect of reporting on the many animals that grace their grounds, such as a heron which they recently spotted.

In its first meeting, the club saw the children respond to a mock crime scene.

The scene was created by Mrs Stobbart and there were unicorn themed books scattered, along with glitter, biscuits and party poppers, as a mock crime scene where the children had to ascertain what happened - according to a tip off Fiona, a unicorn had visited and was a bit clumsy, and is now hiding among the leaves.

Also, they had to name the paper they would be writing for.

Among the names pitched were the Lees Hill Weekly, and the Lees Hill Times.

The school has been benefitting from visits from industry professionals, and trips, that teach the youngsters about what could lie ahead, and the career options available to them, later in life.

One such visit was that of a police officer from Cumbria Police, which of course got a write up from one of the reporters.

The school's roving reporters club may be new, but there is a bright future ahead for it as it rolls on.