Pupils from Husthwaite Primary School have been involved in a festive community event.

The school and three neighbouring churches – St Nicholas’s Church, Husthwaite Methodist Church and St Mary’s Carlton Husthwaite – teamed up to help the school’s 80 pupils discover the meaning of Christmas.

Teacher Sally Gall said: “All 80 of our pupils, aged three to 11, visited the churches. They met Mary and the Angel Gabriel, and heard how Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. “They decorated pine cones with ribbons, symbolising how we get our hearts ready to celebrate Christmas. We’re trying to tell the Christmas story so that the children experience it in a hands-on way. It’s been really important to involve the whole community, making this a very special Christmas.”

The Rev Liz Hassall, vicar of St Nicholas Husthwaite and St Mary’s Carlton Husthwaite, said: “It’s wonderful to have the whole school visiting the churches like this. I think it’s vital that children learn about the Christmas story. It’s a huge part of our cultural heritage, and learning by storytelling and being creative is such an exciting idea. I hope that the children enjoyed visiting the churches to help them understand more about the meaning of Christmas.”