FIREFIGHTERS made a real splash with schoolchildren when they turned up to empty their school swimming pool.The retained crew from Needham Market fire station visited Ringshall County Primary School in Ringshall to drain the pool to help staff begin a spring clean.

FIREFIGHTERS made a real splash with schoolchildren when they turned up to empty their school swimming pool.

The retained crew from Needham Market fire station visited Ringshall County Primary School in Ringshall to drain the pool to help staff begin a spring clean.

The Offton Road-based school, which is celebrating its 50th birthday this year, resounded to the sound of running water as the firefighters pumped out the water over half an hour on Thursday – to the delight of the pupils.

"It was wonderful," said headteacher Sally Green. "Some children held the hoses while the rest watched.

"They fire brigade made some lovely rainbows in the sunlight as they pumped the water through the hoses.

"We've always had a good relationship with the Needham crew," she added as one, Ian Haward is a parent of three at the school and one of his colleagues attended as a pupil.