LOBSTERS and crabs caused screams of excitement when they visited a Weymouth school.

Year One pupils at Beechcroft St Paul’s Primary School welcomed the crustaceans into their classroom as part of their school project about the ‘Harvest of the Sea.’

Year One teacher Alex Fuhrmann said they had been working on the topic during the term and as part of that they had done activities including going on a ‘deep-sea adventure’ in the style of French explorer Jacques Cousteau.

Mr Fuhrmann asked fisherman Andy Alcock to come into school to talk to the children about the sea creatures around Weymouth and he brought with him a few fishy friends.

The children, all aged five and six, all gathered round to look at the lobster, brown crab, spider crab and harbour crab and several different fish.

The children then got the chance to ask Mr Alcock all about the creatures.

Mr Fuhrmann said: “It was a very different experience for the children.”

They learnt about their different habitats and where they lived and talked about sustainable fishing.

Mr Alcock asked the children to name as many fish as possible, with rays and sharks being popular answers. He told the children that all the types of sea creatures they had named including the rays and sharks and the creatures he had brought in, could be found around Weymouth.

He said: “The kids were superb. They all wanted to hold the crabs and fish. It was really nice - they absolutely loved it.”

He added that it had been a really fun day.