STAFF at a Dorchester school have created a giant symbol of hope to support their local emergency service workers.

Residents stuck indoors during the lockdown period in Dorset and across the country have been putting colourful pictures of rainbows in their windows to cheer up passers-by and brighten their streets. The rainbows aim to make people smile while they’re walking by, and also offer a message of hope, as they often appear when the sun follows a heavy rainfall.

But staff at the Prince of Wales School have created a giant version on their school’s playing field for a very special audience.

Headteacher Gary Spracklen said: “We created the rainbow as a symbol of hope and thought it would give the crew of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance something different to look down on as they take off and land from Dorset County Hospital which is located near the school. It’s our school’s way of saying a big thank you to everyone at this challenging time.”

Caretaker Paul Bascombe led a team to create the rainbow.