STRANGER danger and road safety were on the agenda as children at St Mary’s Catholic School in Dorchester received a visit from a top ranking police officer.

Superintendent Jared Parkin visited the school’s reception class to talk to them about the police force.

He spoke about what police officers can do to help people as well as offering advice about crossing the road safely and avoiding talking to strangers.

Supt Parkin also demonstrated his police radio, showed the youngsters his police badge and gave them all a goody bag with stationery, high-visibility wrist bands and reflectors.

The children were able to ask Supt Parkin questions about police horses and police cars among other topics.

After meeting the children, Supt Parkin said he was impressed by the questions they had asked and how well behaved they had all been.

He said: “It’s good to get in touch with children at this age to explain to them that we provide safety for them and growing up they know we can be trusted and are approachable.

“The key message for us to get across at this age are road safety issues and making sure these guys know the basics about how to cross and how not to cross.”

The children were able to show Supt Parkin their own police station that they had set up in the class and explain how they had been using it.

Class teacher Andrea Warner-Lee said: “Some of the children have been pretending to be police officers and giving out tickets for being naughty.

“We have also shown them videos about some of the jobs police officers do and the different roles they have rather than just arresting baddies.”