YOUNGSTERS at Ashperton Primary Academy had an Armistice Day experience they will never forget, when they found themselves in conversation with Prince Harry.

Among other things, the Prince asked the awe-struck children if it was "still cool" to travel on the back seat of a bus, when he heard they had travelled all the way from Herefordshire to Staffordshire, to the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA), to pay their respects.

Dressed in smart ceremonial uniform, the Royal ex-servicemen, who saw active service in Afghanistan and only left the Army in 2015, also asked the children if they all understood the significance of the Arboretum, which is a national memorial site for the whole of the UK.

Teacher Caroline Bullock said: "Prince Harry was in attendance at the National Memorial Arboretum last Friday, November 11. The Ashperton children were not only lucky enough to be standing directly opposite him, during the parade of Gurkhas playing in their band and other military groups, but were also over the moon to find themselves chosen to be spoken to by the Prince himself.

"Prince Harry was charming with all of the Year 6s from Turquoise Class. Speaking to them as a group, he ascertained whether they knew why they were at the NMA and was surprised to discover they had travelled all the way from Herefordshire to pay their respects. He asked the class if it was still cool to sit on the back seat of the bus."

Mrs Bullock added: "As he departed, he left telling the awe struck children to ‘enjoy, make the most of the sunshine and make the most of being out of school for the day’.

"It was a fabulous and memorable experience that the Year 6 children, from Ashperton Primary Academy, will never forget."

The Year 6 children from the Turquoise group have been studying "Battles" as a topic this term, and one of the highlights was a visit to the arboretum.

The focus for the week prior to the trip had been 'Remembrance', and Ashperton children not only got to place a wreath on the HMS Ledbury plaque during the town's remembrance day service, they met and talked to war veterans, including Derek Hurst, a soldier who fought in Korea.

During the course of the week, the children also experienced "what it would have been like to be an evacuee".