PUPILS of a Queensbury school and businesses in the village have joined forces to provide safe havens for people in need.

Pupils in Year Five at Russell Hall Primary School have created posters that are being put up in the windows of shops and businesses to let people know that if they feel threatened or scared, they can go into the business and find a safe place inside.

Although the main focus will be to offer a safe haven for children, the posters are to let people of all ages know there is place for them to go if they feel nervous, frightened or under threat.

The businesses will offer a place where they can call a friend or the police, or just to take themselves out of an uncomfortable situation.

The idea came from discussions pupils had during anti-bullying week, and in art classes since pupils have been busy working on posters to advertise the businesses that have agreed to act as "havens".

One of the first businesses to sign up was McKinley's Fish and Chips, and many other businesses have followed suite.

Children in other year groups at the school will learn about the safe haven scheme in an upcoming assembly, and the same will happen in other schools in Queensbury.

The school's head teacher Andrea Grist said: "Year Five did it on the back of anti-bullying week earlier this year where we talked a lot about bullying and how it can make people feel.

"When the posters are all printed we will have assemblies to let the children know what the symbols mean.

"It might just be that a child is feeling a bit frightened walking home from school, or they might feel vulnerable or lost.

"It gives them a place to go that they know is safe and where they can use a phone. It works in Queensbury because there is a real sense of community here."

Tanya Graham, the Conservative's Parliamentary candidate for Bradford South, has been working with the children on the project.

She said: "This is a truly community-led initiative.

"The idea came from discussions with local residents in Queensbury and has developed with further conversations with the local businesses and the police.

"The pupils at the school have done a wonderful job in taking an initial concept and illustrating it so beautifully in this fantastic poster."